Muhyiddin appeals decision to reinstate cases of power abuse to Sessions Court

KUALA LUMPUR: Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has filed an appeal at the Federal Court against the decision of the Court of Appeal, which ordered the case of misuse of position for a bribe of RM232.5 million to Parti Bersatu related to the Jana Wibawa Project to be returned to the Sessions Court for further action.

Based on the notice of appeal obtained by the media, the former Prime Minister filed the appeal yesterday against the entire decision of the Court of Appeal, which was made on Wednesday (Feb 28).

Lawyer Amer Hamzah Arshad, who represented Muhyiddin, when contacted by Bernama confirmed the matter.

On Wednesday, a three-judge panel chaired by Datuk Hadhariah Syed Ismail was unanimous in allowing the prosecutor's application to set aside the High Court's decision that acquitted Muhyiddin of the four charges on August 15 last year.

The other two judges were Judges Datuk Azmi Ariffin and Datuk S.M Komathy Suppiah.

Muhyiddin, 76, as Prime Minister and president of Bersatu at the time, was accused of using his position for bribes amounting to RM232.5 million from three companies namely Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd, Nepturis Sdn Bhd and Mamfor Sdn Bhd and Datuk Azman Yusoff for the party concerned.

He is accused of committing the act at the Prime Minister's Office, Bangunan Perdana Putra, Federal Government Administration Center in Putrajaya between March 1, 2020 and August 20, 2021.

The Bersatu president also faces two charges of receiving money from illegal activities amounting to RM195 million from Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd which was deposited into Bersatu's CIMB Bank account.

He is alleged to have committed the act at CIMB Bank Menara KL Branch, Jalan Stesen Sentral here between Feb 25 and July 16, 2021 and between Feb 8 and July 8, 2022.

Muhyiddin was brought before the Sessions Court in Shah Alam on March 13 last year on charges of receiving money from illegal activities amounting to RM5 million and the case was transferred to the Sessions Court here to be tried together.

-- BERNAMA