KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 12 — The fate of former Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Mansor over his RM2 million corruption charge will be known on December 21.
Deputy Public Prosecutor, Julia Ibrahim said High Court Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan who should have decided the case on November 17, however the proceedings were adjourned following the conditional movement control order being extended from November 9 to December 6.
“The new date was announced by High Court deputy registrar, Catherine Nicholas to the prosecution and defence via email today,” said Julia who is heading the prosecution team when contacted via WhatsApp today.
The defence is led by counsel Datuk Tan Hock Chuan.
The trial of the case began on July 2 last year with the prosecution calling 23 witnesses to testify.
The prosecution and defence submitted more than 80 items including the application documents of Aset Kayamas Sdn Bhd (AKSB) to develop Federal Territory Affordable Housing, a RM2 million cheque, bank statements, UMNO annual statements and documents on the estimated expenditure for Sungai Besar and Kuala Kangsar by-elections.
The witnesses called by the prosecution included two former Kuala Lumpur mayors, Tan Sri Ahmad Phesal Talib and Tan Sri Mohd Amin Nordin Abd Aziz as well as AKSB managing director Tan Sri Chai Kin Kong.
On June 30, the defence closed its case after calling four witnesses to testify over four days from March 4 with Tengku Adnan being called as the first defence witness.
Other witnesses called to give statement were Tengku Adnan’s former political secretary Datuk Mohd Rafi Alli Hassan, Simpang Renggam UMNO Division chief, Datuk Zakaria Dullah and former Sungai Besar by-election machinery director, Datuk Rizalman Mokhtar.
On October 14 last year, the High Court ordered Tengku Adnan to enter his defence on the corruption charge after finding the prosecution had succeeded in establishing a prima facie case against the accused.
Tengku Adnan who is known as “Ku Nan” chose to give his sworn statement from the witness stand and his defence proceedings were held on two days, January 17 and March 5.
Tengku Adnan, 69, was charged in his capacity as a civil servant namely Minister of Federal Territories, of having received for himself a total of RM2 million from a businessman, Tan Sri Chai Kin Kong who is AKSB director via a Hong Leong Islamic Bank cheque belonging to AKSB which was deposited into a CIMB account owned by Tadmansori Holdings Sdn Bhd (THSB) which the accused has an interest and is known to AKSB as being related to his official duties.
He was accused of committing the offence at CIMB Bank Berhad of Pusat Bandar Damansara branch here on June 14, 2016.
The Putrajaya MP was charged under Section 165 of the Penal Code which provides for a jail term of up two years or a fine or both upon conviction. — Bernama
