ISLAMABAD, Nov 28: An accountability court on Wednesday convicted Iesco line superintendent Amjad Rashid to five years rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs0.2 million for causing a loss of Rs0.403 million to Wapda.

Judge Mansoor Ali Khan of the accountability court No II also sentenced to two years jail with fine of Rs100,000 each to three other co-accused — Gujranwala Electric Supply Company (Gesco) executive engineer, Mohammad Khalid Khan, Iesco sub-divisional officer, Humayun Khan, resident engineer sub-divisional office, Mareer Hassan, Rawalpindi, Farrukh Sayyar.

They have to undergo a further imprisonment of three months in case of non-payment of the fine.

The court, however, acquitted six other co-accused as no case could be proved against them. They are: Iesco store manager, Gujar Khan, Ghulam Farooq; ex-SMs Rizwanullah, and Dildar Hussain, Tehsil Ghazi, Haripur; chief engineer Wapda Power Privatization Organization, Salahuddin Rafai; corporate accounting manager, directorate of finance, Sardar Irfan Ashraf and corporate planning manager Abdul Razzaq.

“I will challenge the verdict in the high court as it is too stringent because I am innocent and victim of a personal grudge of my high ups,” said Amjad Rashid while talking to Dawn.

Rashid will have to undergo six months more imprisonment in case of default in payment of the fine.

The convicted persons have been disqualified from holding any public office and have been barred from acquiring loans from any bank or financial institutions for a period of 10 years.

However the court granted the benefit of section 382-B of the CrPC to Rashid which means that his punishment would start from the day he was arrested. Rashid was arrested on October 4, 2000.

Rashid along with other convicts misappropriated Wapda material meant for electrification of different villages.

During the course of investigation it was revealed that on the basis of store requisition slips that Mr Rashid drew in excess and caused a loss of Rs403,134 to Wapda. On verification of one of the sites, it was established that the material was not utilized anywhere, causing a loss of Rs45,854 to Wapda in just one project.

All the co-convicts were required to check the requisition slips and cross check them with the approved estimates but they did not perform their duties deliberately and wilfully besides they also failed to physically verify from time to time the work on the site.

Thus they actively abetted with the main accused to misappropriate the funds.