An accountability court on Friday convicted former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi in a graft case, sentencing Khan to 14 years and his wife seven years in prison.

Judge Nasir Javed Rana announced the verdict – previously delayed three times – in a makeshift courtroom at Adiala Jail in the £190m Al-Qadir Trust case.

Except for Imran and Bushra Bibi, all other accused were absent and were subsequently declared absconders.

The court also imposed a fine worth Rs1 million on the PTI founder and Rs0.5 million on Bushra Bibi. In case on failing to submit the fine, the PTI founder would face additional six months while Bushra Bibi three months imprisonment.

The court in its 148-page written order said, “The accused Imran Khan is hereby held guilty for commission of offence of corruption and corrupt practice as defined u/s 9(a)(ii)(iV)(vi) of the National Accountability Ordinance 1999. He is hereby convicted. He is sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for 14 years and fine amounting Rs1,000,000 (one million), in default whereof to undergo for simple imprisonment for a period of further six months.

The order further said, “The accused Bushra Imran is also hereby held guilty for commission of offence of aiding, assisting, and abetting. She is sentenced rigorous imprisonment for seven (7) years and fine amounting to Rs500,000, in default whereof to undergo for simple imprisonment for a period of further three months.

It said, the property of the sham trust “the Al-Qadir University Project Trust’ is forfeited to the federal government within the meaning of Section 10(a) of the NAB Ordinance, 1999.

The judgment read, “The testimony of the prosecution witnesses could not be discredited by the defence side. The prosecution case mainly hinges upon the documentary evidence, which is proved patiently. In this view of the matter, it can be safely concluded that the prosecution has successfully proved it case against both the accused lmran Ahmed Khan and Bushra lmran, through production of cogent, credible, coherent, irrebuttable, reliable and confidence inspiring evidence.

Although some of the witness, including 1.0 IPW-35, had to undergo lengthy and exhaustive cross examination, yet the same could not even shake the creditability of the witnesses.

During the appreciation, their deposition were found consistent and coherent as a whole. There might be certain minor discrepancies and contradictions in the prosecution evidence which are but natural in such like cases of white-collar crimes. Despite availing convenient and flexible opportunities, the defence remained failed to create any reasonable dent or doubt fatal for the prosecution case.”

The verdict said, “Even the documents got exhibited in the defence are of hardly any value for it. Similarly, the esteemed case law put forth by the leaned defence counsel is hardly relevant under the peculiar facts and circumstances of this case.”

It said, “The prosecution has also proved that the accused Bushra Imran Khan, being a trustee of the Al-Qadir University Project Trust, since its inception alongside her husband, accused Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi, played a significant role in the illegal activities by acknowledging the receipt of property, pecuniary benefits, and by aiding and abetting and assisting in the commission of crimes.

The order states, “In view of my findings after appreciation of evidence in this case, both the applications u/s 265-K CrPC filed during the trial by both the accused lmran Ahmed Khan and Bushra lmran separately are hereby dismissed and disposed of accordingly.

For what has been discussed above, the prosecution has successfully proved its case within the four corners of law, beyond any shadow of doubt, up to the hilt of the guilt of both accused.”

It may be that the court announced the verdict which was previously reserved on December 18. NAB prosecutors Irfan Ahmed, Sohail Arif, Owais Arshad Adiala, PTI founder’s sister Aleema Khan, PTI lawyer Barrister Salman Akram Raja, and Bushra Bibi’s daughter and son-in-law were also in attendance. Earlier, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar, along with Shoaib Shaheen, also reached the court.

A total of 35 witnesses were presented before court against the accused. The court had declared other co-accused including Barrister Shahzad Akbar, Zulfi Bokhari, Farhat Shehzadi (Gogi) as proclaimed offenders.

The £190 million case involves a reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against former prime minister Imran Khan, his wife Bushra Bibi, and others in December 2023.