KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 — Former Bank Rakyat managing director Datuk Mustafha Abd Razak and its former chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Zainal were today freed on a charge for criminal breach of trust (CBT) and abetment, respectively, involving nearly RM15 million.
Sessions Court judge Madihah Harullah acquitted and discharged Mustafh, 50, and Abdul Aziz, 67, after deputy public prosecutor from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Afzainizam Abd Aziz informed the court that the Attorney-General’s Chambers had received representations from the defence for the charges to be dropped.
“There is a new development, we received representations from the counsel last June 1, (and) after considering the facts and grounds submitted, the prosecution agreed to withdraw the charges against both accused,” Afzainizam said at today’s proceeding which was initially fixed for hearing.
The court also ordered the return of the RM400,000 bail posted by each of the accused and their passports.
On Sept 7, 2016, Mustafha pleaded not guilty to committing CBT of the bank’s group marketing expenditure allocation, involving RM14,991,283.20, which was entrusted to him.
Abdul Aziz, who was a former Malaysian Armed Forces chief, was charged with abetting Mustafha.
They were charged with committing the offence at Menara Kembar Bank Rakyat, No. 33 Jalan Travers here on March 11, 2016.
Mustafha was charged under Section 409 of the Penal Code, while Abdul Aziz, under Section 109 of the same law. Both could be jailed for up to 20 years with whipping and also liable to fine, if found guilty.
Lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah represented Abdul Aziz, while Mustafha was represented by lawyer Datuk Kamarul Hisham Kamaruddin. — Bernama
