Former Bangladeshi PM challenges five-year corruption sentence

Opposition leader and former Bangladeshi prime minister Khaleda Zia on Tuesday filed an appeal to the higher court challenging the verdict that sentenced her to five years in jail in a corruption case.Sanaullah Miah, Zia's lawyer, told DPA that he had filed the appeal on her behalf, saying she was not involved in any corruption over the establishment of Zia Orphanage Trust.The former premier and head of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has been in jail since February 8, when a lower court convicted her for misappropriation of funds meant for orphans.The lawyer accused the Anti-Corruption Commission of bringing false charges against Zia and expressed confidence that she will be released upon appeal.Her counsel also plans to file a separate petition for bail.