Pakistan court sentences ousted PM Nawaz Sharif to 10 years imprisonment in corruption case

The ruling came weeks before the Pakistan general elections scheduled to be held on July 25. Accountability court judge Mohammad Bashir pronounced the verdict behind closed doors. Nawaz Sharif conviction LIVE updates

While Sharif was fined 8 million pounds (USD 10 million), his daughter Maryam was handed down a 2 million pound (USD 2.6 million) fine. The former prime minister has previously described the court proceedings against him as politically motivated and a judicial witchhunt. Also Read: What is the corruption case against Nawaz Sharif?

68-year-old Sharif is in London attending to his wife Kulsoom Nawaz who was diagnosed with throat cancer last year. Also Read: The rise and fall of Pakistan’s ousted PM Nawaz Sharif: A timeline

Police had deployed heavy security in and around the Federal Judicial Complex, where the court is located. The roads leading to the complex have also been closed to the general traffic.

Three-time prime minister Sharif resigned as Pakistan prime minister last year after the Supreme Court disqualified him from holding public office and ruled that graft cases be filed against the beleaguered leader and his children over the Panama Papers scandal.

Both Sharif and his daughter attended dozens of hearings in the Avenfield case which lasted for more than nine months. During the trial, the NAB presented at least 21 witnesses to prove that Sharif family cannot justify the money trail to buy four apartments in Avenfield House, Park Lane, London.

It is alleged that the properties were allegedly bought with graft money in 1990s when he served twice as the prime minister. Sharif rejected any wrongdoings and insisted they were bought with the legitimate money.