ISLAMABAD, Sept 14: Chairperson of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Benazir Bhutto on Wednesday arrived in Geneva to appear before a court hearing a money laundering case against her and Asif Ali Zardari, sources in the party told Dawn.
The sources said that Ms Bhutto would appear before the Swiss investigating magistrate on Sept 19 in the case in which she and her husband were facing charges of receiving kickbacks in the award of a pre-shipment inspection contract to the Swiss company, SGS (Societe Generale de Surveillance).
Senator Farooq Naek, the counsel for Ms Bhutto, and MNA Naheed Khan accompanied the PPP chairperson, the sources added.
They said the Swiss magistrate had also summoned Asif Ali Zaradri to appear before the court but he was unable to travel after undergoing a heart surgery in a New York hospital.
It may be mentioned that an accountability court in Rawalpindi had issued non-bailable warrant of arrest for Mr Zardari on Sept 10 for non-appearance before the court during the hearing of similar SGS reference.
The judge of the Accountability Court No 2, Sakhi Mohammad Kahut, also adjourned the hearing for Sept 20 after issuing the non-bailable warrant of arrest for the husband of former prime minister.
Legal counsel of Mr Zardari, Senator Farooq Naek, during the hearing had informed the court that his client had undergone another heart procedure in the US during which a third stent had been inserted and the doctors had advised him a three-month bed rest.
The counsel also presented medical certificates before the court in this regard, and the same would also be produced before the Swiss magistrate.
In SGS case, Benazir Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari have been accused of awarding a pre-shipment inspection contract to SGS in consideration of six per cent commission of total amount received by the company from the government of Pakistan. The commission was paid to an offshore company, Bomer Finance Inc., allegedly owned by Mr Zardari while Jens Schlegelmilch acted as his fiduciary agent.
On the other hand, Ms Bhutto had repeatedly denied having any links with Schlegelmilch let alone receiving illegal payments through him.
