Zizie Izette admits receiving RM2.8 million as introduction fee - Witness

KUALA LUMPUR: The Sessions Court here was told today that the wife of Kinabatangan MP, Datin Seri Zizie Izette Abdul Samad admitted she received an introduction fee of RM2.8 million from a unit trust consultant for recommending her husband, Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin to get Felcra to invest in Public Mutual Berhad unit trusts.

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigating officer Mohd Haris Ibrahim, 42, said Zizie Izette informed that she received the sum from Norhaili Ahmad Mokhtar when the actress had her statements recorded by MACC on July 27, 2016.

"I do not remember how many times Datin Seri Zizie Izette informed the matter (RM2.8 million introduction fee) but it was in the recording," he said when cross-examined by Zizie Izette's lawyer, Datuk K.Kumaraendran in the hearing of a corruption case involving Bung Moktar and Zizie Izette over a Felcra investment in Public Mutual Berhad unit trusts.

In previous proceedings, Norhaili told the court that Zizie Izette was eligible to receive an introduction fee of RM2.8 million because she managed to get her husband to obtain Felcra's approval to invest RM150 million in Public Mutual unit trusts.

Mohd Haris, the 27th prosecution witness said Zizie Izette's recorded statements were handed over to him by another MACC officer.

The MACC senior superintendent also agreed with the suggestion made by Bung Moktar's lawyer M.Athimulan that Zizie Izette's statements were recorded according to Section 30 (3) (b) of the MACC Act 2009, and the introduction fee was mentioned during the recording.

When re-examined by deputy public prosecutor Law Chin How as to why the couple's statements were recorded under Section 30 (3) (b) of the MACC Act 2009, Mohd Haris said the statements were recorded as witnesses' statements because no arrests were made against them.

According to Mohd Haris, he then completed the investigation paper and submitted the recommendation to the prosecution to charge Bung Moktar and Zizie Izette in court.

On May 3, 2019, Bung Moktar, 64, pleaded not guilty to 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.

Bung Moktar, who was the non-executive chairman of Felcra at the time, was accused of accepting bribes from an investment agent, Madhi Abdul Hamid through Zizie Izette at Public Bank's Taman Melawati branch here between 12.30 pm and 5 pm on June 12, 2015.

He also pleaded not guilty to accepting an RM335,500 cash bribe from Norhaili under the name of Zizie Izette for similar reasons, at the same place on June 19, 2015, while Zizie Izette, 44, pleaded not guilty to three charges of abetting her husband in the matter at the same place, date and time.

The hearing before Judge Rozina Ayob continues on May 17.

-- BERNAMA