KUALA LUMPUR, July 19 — The prosecution has filed an appeal to the Federal Court against the Court of Appeal’s majority decision last Friday to acquit Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor over a RM2 million corruption case.
When contacted, a source from the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) confirmed to Malay Mail that the appeal was filed today at the registry of the Federal Court.
“We already filed an appeal this afternoon against the acquittal. We already filed in the notice of appeal,” the source told Malay Mail.
Tengku Adnan was charged under Section 165 of the Penal Code with accepting a RM2 million cheque from businessman Tan Sri Chai Kin Kong as he was at that time the federal territories minister and knew that Aset Kayamas had a connection with his official function.
The cheque from Hong Leong Islamic Bank, was said to belong to developer Aset Kayamas Sdn Bhd and was deposited into the CIMB Bank account of the company Tadmansori Holding Sdn Bhd in which Tengku Adnan had an interest.
The offence was alleged to have been committed at the Pusat Bandar Damansara CIMB branch on June 14, 2016.
The penalty for the offence under Section 165 is a maximum two-year jail term, or a fine, or both.
On December 21, 2020, High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan found Tengku Adnan guilty of committing the Section 165 offence, and sentenced him to 12 months’ jail and a RM2 million fine (with six months’ jail if not paid).
The High Court granted a stay on the execution of Tengku Adnan’s sentence pending his appeal, which he reportedly filed the same day as the High Court’s decision. The stay meant that the jail term and fine would not be enforced until the end of his appeal at the Court of Appeal.
The Court of Appeal on April 22, 2021 heard Tengku Adnan’s appeal against his conviction and sentence.
A three-judge panel in the Court of Appeal gave a split decision last Friday.
The majority decided to overturn Tengku Adnan’s conviction, while the third judge decided that the High Court’s conviction and sentencing on Tengku Adnan should be maintained.
The Court of Appeal’s majority decision meant that Tengku Adnan was acquitted.
The prosecution is now appealing that decision at the Federal Court.
