Bung Moktar, wife's corruption case fixed for mention on March 27

KUALA LUMPUR: The defence trial proceedings of Kinabatangan Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin and his wife Datin Seri Zizie Izette Abdul Samad on three charges of corruption has been fixed for mention in the Sessions Court on March 27 following ongoing appeal.

The couple filed an appeal against a High Court's dismissal of their applications to review the Sessions Court decision which ordered the duo to defend themselves on the three charges.

Lawyer M. Athimulan representing Bung Moktar informed Sessions Court Judge Rozina Ayob that the case management of the appeal in the Court of Appeal has been set on March 22.

"As such, we have requested the court to set a mention date for the parties to inform about the development of the case at the Court of Appeal. We also requested that the presence of both clients be excluded at the mention of the next case," said the lawyer.

Deputy public prosecutor Law Chin How confirmed the matter and did not object to the defence's application for the presence of the two accused to be excluded at the next case mention.

Rozina then set March 27 for case mention for the parties to inform the development of the case at the Court of Appeal and allowed the defence's request that the presence of the two accused be excluded.

Bung Moktar, 63, who was wheelchair-bound due to a fractured leg, appeared in court with Zizie Izette, 44.

On Jan 3, High Court Judge Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid allowed the stay of Bung Moktar and his wife's defence proceedings pending the disposal of the couple's appeal at the Court of Appeal.

On Sept 2, 2022, the Sessions Court ordered the couple to enter their defence on three charges of corruption after the prosecution had established a prima facie case against them.

On May 3, 2019, Bung Moktar was charged with two charges of accepting bribes amounting to RM2.2 million and RM262,500 as an inducement to obtain Felcra's approval to invest RM150 million in Public Mutual unit trusts.

He was charged with accepting bribes from Public Mutual agent, Madhi Abdul Hamid, through Zizie Izette at Taman Melawati Public Bank Branch here between 12.30 pm and 5 pm on June 12, 2015.

He was also charged with accepting a cash bribe of RM337,500 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 while Zizie Izette was charged with three counts of abetting with her husband in relation to the matter at the same place, date and time.

-- BERNAMA