KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 21 — With trial dates set for June next year, the legal team of DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng have expressed their preparedness for his defence in court.
Lim’s lead defence counsel and Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo, speaking to reporters after today’s proceedings, reiterated their position that the case lacks concrete evidence to prove any form of corrupt wrongdoing against Lim.
“We are prepared to face trial because, as we have said, we believe there is no piece of evidence that will prove the offence was committed by Lim Guan Eng.
“We will face trial in June until December next year, and we are prepared for trial,” he said.
Gobind added how the prosecution today adduced eight more volumes of evidence consisting of thousands of pages containing documents they intend to use as evidence.
The trial for Lim’s four charges, two under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 for soliciting a bribe and abuse of power, and two more under the Penal Code for dishonest misappropriation of property, will begin in June next year before Sessions Court judge Azura Alwi.
A total of 31 days were scheduled for the trial from June through December next year, with the prosecution revealing that they intend to bring in 80 to 90 witnesses to testify.
Speaking to reporters after today’s proceeding, Lim again, as he did in August and September, insisted that the charges brought against him were politically motivated.
“It is clear this is a baseless accusation and is politically motivated aimed at smearing my reputation, and as an act of political revenge.
“We will prove it in court that we are innocent.
“How can it be when a person who did not ask for money is charged with corruption, while those with the money in their possessions have no action taken against them,” he quipped before leaving the court complex.
Lim was charged with one count of soliciting a bribe and one count of abusing his power to obtain gratifications in exchange for awarding projects related to the Penang undersea tunnel project to Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd.
The former Penang chief minister and federal minister of finance is alleged to have solicited a kickback amounting to 10 per cent of the profits raked by Consortium Zenith and a further RM3.3 million as inducement from the company’s director to help them secure the RM6.3 billion project.
He was also charged with two counts of dishonest misappropriation of property on two plots of land belonging to the Penang government worth RM208.8 million to be disposed of to two companies, which are linked to the state’s undersea tunnel project.
