According to Special Court Registrar Dhir Bahadur Chand, the court has summoned the accused to inform them about the hearings date. "The court will fix the date for hearings if all the accused are present in court Thursday," Chand said, adding, "The court is pondering how to settle the Sudan case within the stipulated deadline." [break]
Apart from Michael Rider, director of London-based Assured Risks Pvt Ltd that supplied armored personnel carriers (APCs) and other logistics to Nepali peacekeepers in Darfur, Sudan, all the accused are expected to be present in court.
As per the Special Court Act, corruption cases have to be settled within six months of the date of filing case.
According to Registrar Chand, the court will initiate the process for final hearings on the graft charges-- involving three former police chiefs, 31 other police officers and two contractors-- after Thursday, September 1.
To date, all the Sudan scam accused except Rider--- 34 police officers and Nepali agent of Assured Risks Shambhu Bharati--- have appeared in court to defend charges slapped by the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA).
The court had sought bail from 22 of the accused while 12 others were released against general dates for reappearance in court.
"The court plans to hold hearings against all the accused if they agree," Chand added.
After holding hearings soon, the court may ask the CIAA, other agencies concerned and even the accused to furnish documents related to the scam for cross-verification, said Chand.
According to him, the court will also start recording the statements of witnesses concerning the graft.
The court will order any accused or agency involved to furnish documents if it feels the need for such documents during the hearings process. "The court will check, cross-check and study the evidence," said Chand, adding, "The court will come up with a final decision only after fulfilling every necessary step."
The national anti-graft body, CIAA, had filed case at the Special Court against the police officers, accusing them of embezzling about Rs 290 million while procuring and supplying APCs and other logistics to the Nepali peacekeepers.
A total of Rs 500.5 million has been accumulated at the Special Court from bail amounts posted by 22 accused police officers and one contractor accused in the scam.
Of the 22 accused from whom the Special Court sought bail, former Nepal Police chief Om Bikram Rana and contractor Shambhu Bharati surpassed all the other accused in the amounts of bail they posted. The court sought bail from Rana and Bharati of Rs 150 million each.
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