Prosecution’s appeal hearing over acquittal of Bung Moktar, wife postponed to Oct 9

A three-judge panel of the Court of Appeal consisting of Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim, Datuk Hashim Hamzah and Mohamed Zaini Mazlan set the new date after lawyer Datuk Seri K. Kumaraendran informed the court that lawyer, M. Athimulan, representing Bung Moktar, could not attend today's proceedings, as he is unwell due to heart problems.

"Lawyer Athimulan has been unwell since July 10 when he was in India and sought treatment at a hospital in Tamil Nadu before returning to Malaysia last week.

"However, he was advised to seek further treatment in Singapore because he had been treated there," said Kumaraendran, who represented Zizie Izette.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Law Chin How did not object to the postponement, but said the prosecution was prepared should the court want to continue the proceedings today

"Today has been set for the appeal hearing and we have filed all submissions related to the case," said Law, who is handling the case with deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Fadly Mohd Zamry.

Judge Ahmad Zaidi said the court was aware of Athimulan's health condition, but the request by the prosecution and defence to postpone the hearing to November was too long.

The Kinabatangan Member of Parliament and his wife were acquitted and discharged on Sept 7 last year after the High Court allowed their revision applications to overturn the Sept 2, 2022, Sessions Court's ruling that had ordered them to enter their defence on the corruption charges. The prosecution filed its appeal on Sept 18.

Bung Moktar, who was then the non-executive chairman of Felcra, was charged on May 3, 2019, with two charges of accepting bribes of RM2.2 million and RM262,500 as an inducement to obtain Felcra approval to invest RM150 million in Public Mutual unit trusts.

He was alleged to have accepted the bribes from Public Mutual Berhad's investment agent Madhi Abdul Hamid through Zizie Izette at Public Bank Taman Melawati Branch here between 12.30 pm and 5 pm on June 12, 2015.

Bung Moktar was also charged with receiving RM337,500 in cash from Unit Amanah consultant, Norhaili Ahmad Mokhtar, under the name of Zizie Izette for the same reason and place on June 19, 2015, while Zizie Izette was charged with three counts of abetting her husband over the matter at the same place, date and time.

-- BERNAMA