.JPG "Former Malaysian External Intelligence Organisation chief Datuk Hasanah Abdul Hamid is pictured at the Kuala Lumpur High Court October 25, 2018. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Firdaus Latif")
KUALA LUMPUR, May 29 — Former intelligence chief Datuk Hasanah Abdul Hamid has one less worry after the High Court cancelled the warrant for her arrest it issued last week.
The former director-general of the now defunct Malaysian External Intelligence Organisation (MEIO) attended court today, apologised unconditionally and unreservedly to judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah for her absence when her RM50 million criminal breach of trust case was brought up last Friday, The Edge reported on its website this afternoon.
“The warrant is cancelled in light of her unreserved apology to the court,” the judge was quoted as saying by another news portal, Free Malaysia Today.
Hasanah was also ordered to attend all future case management proceedings with at least one of her bailors.
She popped back into the spotlight following media reports of her being missing from court during a standard case mention on May 24.
Her lawyer Mohd Khairul Azam Abdul Aziz told Malay Mail when contacted that she had simply made a mistake and forgot to turn up in court for the case management, and that his legal firm also similar forgot to remind her.
Hasanah was charged with criminal breach of trust over US$12.1 million (RM50.4 million) of government funds last October 25 in her capacity as a civil servant in the Research Department of the Prime Minister’s Office in Putrajaya between April 30 and May 9, 2018.
The charge under Section 409 of the Penal Code carries a maximum jail term of 20 years and whipping and fine, upon conviction.
Her trial is scheduled to start February 3 next year.
