Dhaka, Bangladesh
AP
—
A court in Bangladesh’s capital on Monday sentenced ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to five years in prison and her niece, British Labor MP Tulip Siddique, to two years in prison for corruption related to government land projects.
Judge Rabiul Alam of the Dhaka Special Magistrate’s Court said Hasina was guilty of abusing her power as prime minister and Siddique was guilty of improperly influencing her aunt in helping her mother and two brothers acquire land for a government project. Siddique’s mother, Sheikh Rehana, was sentenced to seven years in prison and was considered a key participant in the case. There are 14 other suspects.
Mr Siddique, who represents London’s Hampstead and Highgate areas in Parliament, has previously denied the allegations, calling the trial a farce based on “trumped-up accusations and clear political vendettas”.
In January, Siddique resigned from the cabinet under pressure over his ties to his aunt.
Hasina was sentenced to death in November for crimes against humanity related to the crackdown on the massive uprising that ended her 15-year rule last year. She is in exile in India and all trials were held in absentia.
It was decided Monday that she and others in the case will not be appointed attorneys to represent them.
Rehana is abroad, as are Siddique’s two brothers, who are facing separate charges related to last year’s riots.
On November 27, another court sentenced Hasina to 21 years in prison in three separate cases involving projects in the same town. Hasina’s son and daughter were also sentenced by the court to five years in prison each in this case.
