KARACHI, Jan 11: An accountability court sentenced on Saturday a Wapda clerk to five years’ rigorous imprisonment for amassing property and assets through illegal means.

Judge Mohammed Jawaid Alam of the AC-4, who is also the administrative judge of all the ACs in Karachi division, also imposed a fine of Rs1 million on Qurban Ali Jatoi, who would have to undergo an additional one year’s simple imprisonment if he failed to pay the fine.

Jatoi, a clerk at Wapda’s field stores in Larkana, was prosecuted for accumulating property in the names of his family members through corruption and by illegal means.

The reference against the Wapda clerk was initially filed in the AC-5, then headed by Judge Abdul Aziz Memon. The case was shifted to the AC-4 after Mr Memon was elevated to the Sindh High Court.

The property and assets of the accused included 40 acre agricultural land at Vikia Sangi, Taluka Larkana, Sapna Inn Hotel on Station Road in Larkana, Sapna Ice Factory, Sindhu Ice Factory, Naveed/Sapna Rice Mill, a house on 7,000 square yards and another on 1,200 square yards in Larkana, a house on 4,500 square yards on Mai Kolachi Road, Karachi, and flats on land measuring 1,400 square feet on Station Road, Larkana.

The property and assets were bought in the names of his sons Mushtaq Ali Jatoi, Maula Bux Jatoi, Zahid Ali Jatoi and Karim Bux Jatoi and his daughter- in-law Badshahzadi, wife of Mushtaq Ali Jatoi.

The assets and property, raised by the accused in his and in others’ names, were found grossly disproportionate to legal and known sources of his income.

The judge also disqualified Jatoi for 10 years from being elected, chosen or nominated a member or representative of any public body or any statutory or local authority. He was also disqualified from seeking any financial facility in the form of loan or advances by any bank or financial institutions owned or controlled by the government.