Expelled Jubo Mohila League leader Shamima Nur Papia and her husband Mofizur Rahman Sumon have pleaded not guilty and begged to be tried in an arms case against them.
Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge KM Imrul Qayes on Wednesday read out the charges and testimonies of 12 prosecution witnesses in the case. Later, the court asked them whether they would plead guilty or not, reports BSS.
After their statements in self-defence, the court set September 24 for placing arguments by the prosecution in the case.
The court on August 23 framed charges in the case.
Investigation officer (IO) and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Sub-Inspector Arifuzzaman filed a charge-sheet against the couple in the case on June 29, making 12 people witnesses.
Earlier on February 22, RAB arrested Papia and her husband along with two of their accomplices from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport with counterfeit banknotes, foreign currencies and cash.
RAB later raided their two luxurious flats in the capital’s Indira Road area and recovered a foreign-made pistol, two magazines, 20 bullets, five bottles of foreign liquor and Taka 5.84 million in cash, among other things.