The Federal Swiss Court has dismissed a claim to get hold of the jewellery of slain Pakistan People’s Party chairwoman Benazir Bhutto (BB).
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The case, that opened in 1998, accused Benazir Bhutto and her spouse Asif Zardari of receiving millions of dollars in kickbacks for awarding a contract to a Swiss firm during BB’s second tenure as the prime minister from 1993-1996. It was alleged that the money was deposited in Swiss banks and accounts belonging to BB and Zardari were frozen following an official Pakistani request in 1997.
The Swiss authorities probed into money laundering in 1998 and an investigating magistrate in Geneva had ordered the seizure of the jewellery, including a necklace, bracelet, pair of earrings and ring in June the same year.
The jewellery, worth $183,000 was given to Benazir Bhutto by Zardari. Zardari’s offshore company, whose plea was rejected by the Swiss Federal Court, has been trying to claim ownership of the jewellery.
In February, the company’s claim was dismissed by Geneva’s public prosecutor on the grounds that the jewellery was bought by Zardari and not by the company. It was also rejected by the Geneva cantonal court in July, as the offshore company was unable to prove that the jewellery was bought in its name.
Finally, the Federal Court dismissed the company’s appeal against the cantonal court’s decision last Friday.
