Bung Mokhtar and wife's corruption trial postponed after lawyer tests positive for Covid-19
KUALA LUMPUR - The Sessions Court here today postponed the corruption trial of Kinabatangan MP Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin and his wife Datin Seri Zizie Izette Abdul Samad in connection with a unit trust investment in Public Mutual Berhad after a lawyer representing Zizie Izette tested positive for Covid-19.
Lawyer Ridha Abdah Subri, who was speaking on behalf of Bung Moktar and Zizie Izette, told Judge Rozina Ayob that the lawyer representing the second accused (Zizie Izette) was confirmed positive on Feb 20 and was undergoing quarantine until Feb 26.
"Datuk K. Kumaraendran, another lawyer representing Zizie Izette, and M. Athimulan, who is representing Bung Moktar, are close contacts of the lawyer concerned and both are also undergoing quarantine,” said Ridha Abdah. Bung Moktar and his wife were present in court, today.
Today had been fixed for hearing the prosecution's application to cross-examine a key witness, unit trust consultant Norhaili Ahmad Mokhtar, 45, the 25th prosecution witness in the trial.
Rozina then set March 3 this year for hearing the prosecution's application, which was made under Section 154 of the Evidence Act 1950.
Deputy public prosecutor Law Chin How also attended today's proceedings.
On May 3, 2019, Bung Moktar pleaded not guilty to two charges of receiving bribes totalling RM2.2 million and RM262,500 as an inducement for getting Felcra's approval to invest RM150 million in Public Mutual's unit trust.
Bung Moktar, 64, who was then the non-executive chairman of Felcra, allegedly received the bribes from Public Mutual unit trust agent Madhi Abdul Hamid through Zizie Izette at the Public Bank branch in Taman Melawati here between 12.30 pm and 5 pm on June 12, 2015.
He also pleaded not guilty to another charge of receiving a bribe of RM335,500 in cash from Norhaili under the name of Zizie Izette, for the same reason and at the same place on June 19, 2015.
Zizie Izette, 44, pleaded not guilty to three charges of abetting her husband in committing the offences at the same place, date and time. - BERNAMA
