ANN/THE STAR – Malaysia’s Kinabatangan Member of Parliament (MP) Bung Moktar Radin denied that his acquittal from corruption charges is linked to other political leaders who were also freed.
He said the High Court judge had given his utmost commitment in adjudicating the case which had gone on for five years.
“There is no relation between my case and others. Just because United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) president Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was freed, (it does not mean) I must be freed too.
“The judge has stated that I was acquitted and discharged due to the failure of the prosecution in proving wrongdoings, and two of (the prosecution’s) main witnesses had made (an about-turn),” the Sabah UMNO chief told reporters after leaving the courtroom yesterday.
Earlier, Justice Azhar Abdul Hamid approved the revision application made by Bung Moktar and his wife Zizie Izette to overturn the Sessions Court decision ordering them to enter their defence in a MYR2.8 million corruption case.
The judge said it was fit and proper for the court to exercise its revisionary power under the Criminal Procedure Code.
Bung Moktar appeared calm while his wife sobbed after hearing the court’s decision.
“I’m thankful to Allah the Almighty for the acquittal today. I’m also grateful to my team of lawyers for their hard work,” he said.
On May 3, 2019, Bung Moktar was charged with two counts of accepting bribes of MYR2.2 million and MYR262,500 as an inducement to obtain Felcra approval to invest MYR150 million in Public Mutual Berhad unit trusts.
He was alleged to have accepted bribes from Public Mutual’s investment agent Madhi Abdul Hamid through Zizie Izette at Public Bank’s Taman Melawati Branch here between 12.30pm and 5pm on June 12, 2015.
Bung Moktar was also charged with receiving MYR337,500 in cash from Unit Amanah consultant Norhaili Ahmad Mokhtar under the name of Zizie Izette for the same reason and at the same place on June 19, 2015.
