No miscarriage of justice, Abdul Azeez will get fair trial, Appeals Court heard

PUTRAJAYA: There is no miscarriage of justice against former Tabung Haji chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim in his corruption and money-laundering cases, the Court of Appeal heard today.

Deputy public prosecutor Aslinda Ahad submitted that the prosecution will prove its case based on evidence.

"The prosecution will also ensure that a fair trial will be conducted against him," he said.

Aslinda was submitting in the appeal brought by Abdul Azeez against the High Court's dismissal of his application to strike out three counts of bribery charges involving RM5.2 million linked to road projects in Perak and Kedah and 10 money-laundering charges involving a total of RM13.9 million which he was accused of receiving from Syarikat Menuju Asas Sdn Bhd.

She said the corruption and money-laundering charges preferred against Abdul Azeez were not defective.

Aslinda said there was no necessity to specify in the charge sheet the form of the unlawful activities that Abdul Azeez was accused of committing in respect to his money-laundering charges.

She said the money-laundering charges can stand on their own, adding that the prosecution, through its witnesses' evidence will explain what were the unlawful activities.

On the corruption charge against Abdul Azeez, she contended that there was no multiplicity or duplicity of the charge as the gratification he was accused of receiving was for four projects.

Meanwhile, Abdul Azeez's counsel Amer Hamzah Arshad in his reply said his client was a victim of political prosecution and the whole trial should not be allowed to go on as it amounted to unjust suffering on him.

He said the particularisation of the ingredients of charges had not been fulfilled adding that the court should not allow the charges to stand.

According to the charge sheet, Abdul Azeez, 55, was alleged to have committed the corruption offences at CIMB Bank, Jalan Tun Perak in Kuala Lumpur on Dec 8, 2010, and at Affin Bank, Puchong City Centre, Selangor, on June 13, 2017, and April 10, 2018.

On the money laundering charges, he was alleged to have committed the offences in the Klang Valley area between March 8, 2010, and Aug 30, 2018.

At the end of the appeal hearing, Amer Hamzah said he had received instruction from his client who wanted to seek permission from the court to personally say a few words.

However, Justice Datuk Seri Kamaludin Md Said said as far as the charges were concerned, Abdul Azeez is innocent until proven guilty, so there was nothing for him to say, adding that it was better for him to remain quiet at this point of time.

After both the defence and the prosecution completed their submissions, Justice Kamaludin, who sat with Justices Datuk Abu Bakar Jais and Datuk Che Mohd Ruzima Ghazali, deferred the court's decision to a date to be fixed.

The court had heard the appeal on Sept 6 and today was fixed to continue the appeal hearing.

-- BERNAMA