Fresh evidence, new witnesses in Avenfield reference against Sharifs
National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Monday filed a supplementary reference against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family over their four upscale Avenfield flats in London. The reference features fresh evidence, including TV interviews given by Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz, and his two sons Hassan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz.
The reference also features seven new witnesses, including Britain-based forensic expert Robert Radley and a close relative of Wajid Zia - who headed the joint investigation team that probed the Panama Papers case. The duo's statements have already been recorded. Also listed as witnesses are two officials from the Ministry of Information, two from NAB and one from a private TV channel. The Avenfield Properties reference alleges that Sharif, his brood and his son-in-law, retired Captain Mohammad Safdar, had purchased four flats in Park Lane, UK, without legitimate financial means.
Forensic expert Robert Radley and a close relative of Panama case Joint Investigative Team head, Federal Investigation Agency Additional Director Wajid
Zia, will be the witnesses in the case, while two other witnesses are affiliated with the Ministry of Information. NAB informed that it has taken the initial statement from the witnesses based in the UK. The apex anti-corruption watchdog said that one of the witnesses belongs to a private media channel, while two others work under NAB.
Moreover, it also informed the court that excerpts of TV interviews of Nawaz, Maryam, Hasan and Hussain are part of the evidence. The Avenfield reference pertains to the Park Lane apartments (flats 16, 16-A, 17 and 17-A Avenfield House, Park Lane, London, United Kingdom), of the Sharif fami-
ly and includes Nawaz, his three children, and son-in-law MNA Capt (retd) Safdar as accused. Hasan and Hussain have been declared proclaimed offenders for not being a part of the proceedings. In its July 28 judgment, the Supreme Court had stated: "In preparing and filing this Reference, the NAB shall also consider the material already collected during the course of investigations conducted earlier, as indicated in the detailed judgments," the court ruled. The Supreme Court had also given NAB the option to file supplementary reference(s) "if and when any other asset, which is not prima facie reasonably accounted for, is discovered".