Rawalpindi: A special court in Pakistan has sentenced former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi to 17 years imprisonment for corruption.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) court was hearing the Toshakhana case and passed the sentence on Saturday, as reported by news agency PTI.
The agency has quoted The Dawn as reporting that the verdict was delivered by Pakistan’s Special Judge Central Shahrukh Arjumand during a hearing held at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail, where Imran is incarcerated.
The Toshakhana case refers to the purchase of an expensive Bulgari jewellery set, gifted
to Imran by the Saudi crown prince during an official visit in May 2021, at a throwaway price, Dawn has reported.
Imran’s prison sentence was awarded in two phases under the Prevention of Corruption Act. He will serve ten years under Section 409 (criminal breach of trust). The remaining seven years are under Section 5(2)47 (criminal misconduct by public servants). His wife will serve the same sentence.
Additionally, both of them were also fined 16.4 million Pakistani Rupees. As per the law, a failure to pay the fines will result in additional jail time.
The two were indicted in the case last year in December. Meanwhile, Imran Khan and his wife, in October this year, denied all allegations in the case, claiming that it was a fabrication and an attempt to disqualify him from politics.
Imran was arrested in August 2023. He has been in jail since, serving a 14 year sentence in another case.
As of December 2024, the former cricketer faced 186 criminal cases against him across Pakistan.