PESHAWAR, April 2: An accountability court examined here on Tuesday five prosecution witnesses in a reference filed against NWFP former chief minister Aftab Sherpao, ex-senator Haji Gul Sher and three others, pertaining to Ring Road land acquisition scandal.

The court, presided over by Said Maroof Khan, fixed April 6 for next hearing and summoned four more witnesses for that date.

Zafar Abbas Zaidi and Sattar Khan appeared for the defence, whereas special prosecutor Amjad Zia represented the prosecution.

The witnesses examined on Tuesday included: a naib tehsildar, of the revenue department, Hashim Gul; a qanoongo, Sibghatullah; and three patwaris — Mir Akber, Faqir Hussain and Kabir Khan.

Ten accused have been charged in the instant reference. Of them, five are in custody whereas the remaining five have been absconding.

The absconding accused are: former provincial minister Habibullah Kundi, three brothers of Gul Sher — Haji Khatam Gul, Jam Sher and Juma Sher — and a former land acquisition collector, Syed Ayub Shah. The absconding accused have already been sentenced in absentia to three years rigorous imprisonment.

The arrested five accused were charged of inflicting a loss of Rs310.067 million to the exchequer in connivance with the absconding accused. The charge-sheet against them says they had fraudulently and dishonestly got fixed compensation of land situated in Mahal Lala Ahmad and village Saloo, Tehsil Peshawar, at inflated and exorbitant rates.

Their alleged act is a crime under section 9 of the National Accountability Bureau Ordinance 1999, which is punishable under section 10 of the said act.