High Court allows stay in Bung and wife's defence trial pending appeal

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court has granted a stay in the graft trial of Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin and his wife Zizie Izette Abdul Samad, which was scheduled to begin its hearing on Tuesday (Jan 3).

High Court judge Judicial Commissioner Azhar Abdul Hamid allowed the stay application by lawyer M. Athimulan, who represented Bung Moktar and Zizie Izette, pending the disposal of the couple's related appeal at the Court of Appeal.

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Deputy public prosecutor Mohd Sophian Zakaria did not object to the stay application.

Bung Moktar, 65, and Zizie Izette, 45, are appealing against JC Azhar's decision on Dec 9 allowing a preliminary objection by the prosecution against their application to review the Sessions Court's decision that ordered them to enter their defence in the case.

Sessions judge Rozina Ayob had ruled on Sept 2 that the prosecution succeeded in proving a prima facie case against the couple over corruption charges totalling RM2.8mil relating to unit trust investments.

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The matter was brought before Rozina, who was supposed to preside over the defence hearing, here on Tuesday where she was informed by parties that the High Court had allowed the stay.

Athimulan told Rozina that the appeal had been fixed for case management at the appellate court on Jan 25.

Rozina reminded parties that the case has been dragging on since 2019 with no clear end and she urged them to write a notice of urgency to the Court of Appeal to expedite the matter.

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"I'm sure the accused persons are also anxious to know the end of the matter.

"I hope the parties step up the process," Rozina said.

The court then fixed Jan 27 for the parties to provide an update on the status of the appeal.

Bung Moktar was accused of three charges of accepting bribes amounting to RM2.8mil to obtain approval for Felcra Bhd to invest RM150mil in Public Mutual unit trusts.

Zizie Izette faced three charges of abetting her husband in the matter.