The family of a Perth man jailed in Mongolia
after a failed mining deal fear he will not survive the harsh conditions
and are pinning his last hopes for freedom on a presidential pardon.
British-Australian
citizen Mohammed Ibrahim “Mo” Munshi is serving seven years jail for
fraud after powerful local investors lost money when the company he
chaired hit hard times in the face of a slump in the price of coal.
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| Mo Munshi is serving seven years jail for fraud.Picture: Supplied |
Mr
Munshi received word this month that his final legal avenue of appeal
had been exhausted, with the country’s discretionary court of appeal
rejecting an application for a review of the case.
Mr
Munshi, who had previously worked for a number of Perth-based companies
as a geologist, is being held in Mongolia’s notorious 409 jail.
His son Arif says conditions in the jail are extremely tough. Heating
is sometimes turned off and temperatures can fall to -30C. Meals consist
of bowls of a fatty broth.
Mr Munshi does not
speak the local language and his family say he was recently assaulted
by a prison guard after he failed to comprehend an officer’s direction.
He is reliant on his cellmate to interpret orders from prison staff.
Mr Munshi was sentenced to 11 years jail last
year after a two-day trial, but the term was reduced to seven years on
appeal. His son says that the 58-year-old is unlikely to survive, with
prison conditions exacerbating health concerns.
WA
Liberal senator Dean Smith has written to Foreign Minister Marise Payne
asking that the Federal Government make a formal representation to ask
for a pardon from Mongolian President Khaltmaagiin Battulga for Mr
Munshi.
Senator Smith says Mr Munshi could be
released to Australia, where local authorities could investigate
allegations of financial breaches with help from Mongolia.
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| Arif Munshi, whose father is in prison in Mongolia.Picture: Nic Ellis |
Members
of a prominent and wealthy Mongolian family claimed they were tricked
into investing $10 million in Mr Munshi’s company, Gobi Coal and Energy,
and that the Australian geologist changed financial statements.
But
Arif says the projects the company had on its books were simply put
into care and maintenance after the price of coal made them uneconomic.
Source:The West Australian
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