Dhaka March 19 (IANS) The Bangladesh Supreme Court on Monday ordered a stay on the bail granted to opposition leader and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia in a corruption case where she was handed a five-year sentence.
A four-judge bench accepted the appeal against Khaleda s bail granted by a High Court a week ago filed by the government and the Anti-Corruption Commission reports Efe news.
"The court fixed May 8 for a full hearing on bail matter. The court says we have given a unanimous order now there will be a full appeal hearing and that appeal will decide if Khaleda Zia will get bail " Anti-Corruption Commission Lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan told reporters.
According to the lawyer the decision of the bench was unanimous and a decision on her bail will be completed in three weeks.
Khaleda s defence team expressed disappointment with the decision of the top court.
"We did not expect it. We believed their petition would be canceled " said Moudud Ahmed Khaleda s lawyer and senior member of her Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
On February 8 a special court found Khaleda who is also facing several other cases of corruption violence and sedition guilty of fraud amounting to $200 000 through a foundation she created to finance an orphanage.
--IANS
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