Guan Eng withdraws appeal against court's dismissal to transfer graft case to High Court

PUTRAJAYA: Former Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng has withdrawn his appeal at the Federal Court against a lower court's dismissal to transfer his undersea tunnel corruption trial from the Sessions Court to the High Court.

One of Lim's counsels, Haijan Omar, as well as deputy public prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin, confirmed the matter when contacted by Bernama.

Wan Shaharuddin said the notice of discontinuance of the appeal was filed at around noon today.

Both of them also said that Federal Court had notified them that they do not need to attend court tomorrow for Lim's appeal following the filing of the notice of discontinuance of the appeal.

On July 12 last year, the High Court dismissed Lim's application to transfer the case from the Sessions Court to the High Court. He subsequently appealed to the Court of Appeal but was also rejected on Nov 16.

The Bagan Member of Parliament is facing four corruption charges involving the construction of an undersea tunnel and paired roads in Penang worth RM6.3 billion.

COURT-LIM GUAN ENG 2 (LAST) PUTRAJAYA

According to the first amended charge, Lim is accused of using his position as Penang Chief Minister to obtain a bribe of RM3.3 million as an inducement to assist Consortium Zenith BUCG Sdn Bhd (CZBUCG) owner, Datuk Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli to secure the construction project worth RM6,341,383,702.

He is accused of committing the offence at the Penang Chief Minister's Office, Level 28, Komtar, George Town, between January 2011 and August 2017.

On the second amended charge, Lim is accused of soliciting a bribe of 10 per cent of the profit from the company as gratification to secure the project which he allegedly committed near The Gardens Hotel, Lingkaran Syed Putra, Mid Valley City here in March 2011.

Lim, who is also DAP secretary-general, faces two other charges of causing two plots of land worth RM208.8 million, belonging to the Penang government, to be disposed of to two companies linked to the state's undersea tunnel project.

The two offences were allegedly committed at the Penang Land and Mines Office, Level 21, Komtar, on Feb 17, 2015, and March 22, 2017.

The trial is scheduled to resume on Oct 19 before Sessions Court judge Azura Alwi.

-- BERNAMA