Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Money laundering trial ends as court refuses more time for prosecution

Money laundering trial ends as court refuses more time for prosecution

THE trial of a high-profile money laundering case ended without making any significant headway as a judge refused to grant more time to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to produce evidence.

He blamed the collapse of the case on the “systemic and catastrophic” disclosure failings by the CPS and said the ill-prepared case meant the court’s time and public money were wasted.


A couple - Muhammad Ahsan Javaid and Amna Gulzar – and two others were accused of conspiring to launder £34 million between 2012 and 2018 with false identities by setting sham companies and accounts. They were also believed to have stashed away cash in 43 bank accounts before transferring the money from the UK to Pakistan and other countries. The prosecution also claimed that they used money service bureaus for their alleged financial offence.

In 2016, HM Revenue & Customs had arrested Javaid with nearly £100,000 in his vehicle. Javaid, who claimed he was unaware of the presence of the cash, was again arrested at his home the following year, with £50,000 in his brother’s bedroom. Javaid spent more than two years in custody and another year under curfew.

All the four suspects have denied wrong-doing.

According to The Times, judge Charles Falk at Snaresbrook crown court said that it must have been “obvious” to prosecutors from an early stage that HMRC and other agencies might have evidence that could assist the defence. But it was not until after the start of the trial that the CPS requested material from investigating agencies.

“Catastrophic failure has come about because the investigation exponentially grew in size without sufficient manpower, resources, training or expertise being allocated to it”, the judge said.

On its part, the CPS admitted to a failure to follow reasonable lines of inquiry to ensure a fair trial.

However, it was “committed to working with investigators at an early stage, developing proportionate and timely cases while ensuring a fair trial for all defendants”, a CPS spokesperson told The Times.

More For You

Harry and Meghan urge tougher safeguards to protect children online

Prince Harry criticised tech companies for citing privacy laws to deny access

Getty

Harry and Meghan urge tougher safeguards to protect children online

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have called for stronger protections for children online, warning that not enough is being done to shield young people from the dangers of social media

During a visit to New York, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle unveiled a new memorial dedicated to the memory of children whose families believe harmful online content contributed to their deaths. The installation, named the Lost Screen Memorial, features 50 smartphones, each displaying an image of a child lost to what their families describe as the adverse effects of social media. The memorial was made available to the public for 24 hours.

Keep ReadingShow less
Afghan exodus soars as Pakistan deadline nears

Afghan refugees arrive at a camp near the Torkham border last Sunday (20)

Afghan exodus soars as Pakistan deadline nears

MORE than 100,000 Afghans have left Pakistan in the past three weeks, the interior ministry said on Tuesday (22), after Islamabad announced the cancellation of residence permits.

Calling Afghans “terrorists and criminals”, the Pakistan government launched its mass eviction campaign on April 1. Analysts said the expulsions are designed to pressure Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities, which Islamabad blames for fuelling a rise in border attacks.

Keep ReadingShow less
Government announces funding for offshore wind supply chains

Energy secretary Ed Miliband reads a letter from Britain's King Charles III during the Future of Energy Security Summit at Lancaster House on April 24, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Tallis - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Government announces funding for offshore wind supply chains

THE government has announced an initial £300 million investment to strengthen domestic offshore wind supply chains ahead of the Comprehensive Spending Review. The funding will be distributed through Great British Energy, the country's publicly-owned clean energy company.

Prime minister Keir Starmer on Thursday (24) said the investment aims to support jobs and help the UK reach clean power by 2030.

Keep ReadingShow less
modi-pahalgam-getty

'I say to the whole world: India will identify, track and punish every terrorist and their backer,' Modi said in his first speech since the incident.

Getty Images

Modi vows to hunt Kashmir attackers ‘to the ends of the Earth’

INDIA and Pakistan have exchanged a series of diplomatic measures after prime minister Narendra Modi blamed Pakistan for a deadly shooting in Pahalgam, Kashmir, in which 26 civilians were killed.

Modi said India would identify and punish those behind the attack and accused Pakistan of supporting cross-border terrorism.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump

Trump also announced an initiative on historically black colleges and universities and signed orders on AI education and workforce development.

Getty Images

Trump signs orders targeting university diversity policies and accreditation

DONALD TRUMP signed a set of executive orders on Wednesday aimed at US universities, focusing on foreign donations, college accreditation, and diversity and inclusion initiatives.

One order directs the federal government to enforce existing laws requiring universities to disclose large foreign gifts. Another addresses accreditation, which Trump has described as a “secret weapon.”

Keep ReadingShow less