Ku Nan to know fate on RM2 mln graft case tomorrow

KUALA LUMPUR: Former Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor will know his fate on his RM2 million graft case tomorrow (Dec 21).

It comes a day after his 70th birthday today and how he is going to live his septuagenerian life will be determined tomorrow when the High Court gives its decision on the case - whether he walks out of the courtroom a free man or is convicted of the offence.

All eyes will be on the Kuala Lumpur courthouse as judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan is expected to deliver his verdict on the case at 9am tomorrow.

Justice Mohamed Zaini had initially fixed Nov 17 for a decision, but it was adjourned following enforcement of the Conditional Movement Control Order.

Apart from Tengku Adnan's case, the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex will be at the centre of attention as two other high-profile corruption cases - one involving former Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, 60, and the other, Kinabatangan MP Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, 60, who is also Sabah Deputy Chief Minister, and his wife, Datin Seri Zizie A.Samad, 41, would also come up for mention at separate Sessions Courts tomorrow.

Tengku Adnan, or better known as Ku Nan, was charged in his capacity as a public servant, namely Minister of Federal Territories, with having received for himself a total of RM2 million from a businessman, Tan Sri Chai Kin Kong, who is Aset Kayamas Sdn Bhd (AKSB) director, via a Hong Leong Islamic Bank cheque belonging to the company which was deposited into a CIMB account owned by Tadmansori Holdings Sdn Bhd (THSB), which Tengku Adnan has an interest in and is known to AKSB as being related to his official duties.

The Putrajaya MP was accused of committing the offence, under Section 165 of the Penal Code, at CIMB Bank Berhad of Pusat Bandar Damansara branch here on June 14 2016.

He faces imprisonment for up to two years or a fine or both,if convicted.

The trial of the case began on July 2 last year with the prosecution calling 23 witnesses, who included two former Kuala Lumpur mayors, Tan Sri Ahmad Phesal Talib and Tan Sri Mohd Amin Nordin Abd Aziz, as well as Chai, the star prosecution witness.

On Oct 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 him.

Tengku Adnan, who is former UMNO secretary-general, chose to give his sworn statement from the witness stand and his defence proceedings were held for two days, on Jan 17 and March 5.

In his testimony, Tengku Adnan admitted that he received a RM2-million cheque from Chai on June 14, 2016, for campaign expenses of the Sungai Besar (Selangor) and Kuala Kangsar (Perak) by-elections on June 18, the same year.

The by-elections were held following the death of the two incumbents, Datuk Noriah Kasnon and Datuk Wan Mohamad Khairil Anuar Wan Ahmad, both from UMNO, in a helicopter crash in Sebuyau, Sarawak, on May 5, 2016.

The former minister also told the court that the RM2 million given by Chai was like “pocket money” to him.

Other witnesses called to testify 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 director, Datuk Rizalman Mokhtar.

On June 30, the defence closed its case after calling four witnesses, in a proceeding which lasted for four days from March 4 with Tengku Adnan being called as the first defence witness.

On Dec 7, Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor was given a discharge not amounting to an acquittal by another High Court here on a charge of accepting a RM1 million bribe from businessman Datuk Tan Eng Boon, who had pleaded guilty to an alternative charge of abetting the politician, and was fined RM1.5 million.

Judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali made the decision after being informed that the prosecution did not wish to continue the case against Tengku Adnan as there were new developments in the case.

-- BERNAMA