April 18 fixed for decision on Peter Anthony's appeal

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here has fixed April 18 to deliver its decision in an appeal by former Sabah minister Datuk Peter Anthony against his conviction and sentence for using falsified documents.

Justice Ahmad Bache set the date here on Wednesday (March 15) after hearing submissions from both parties.

Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin said the case was "a deception upon deception" while Peter's lawyer S. Devanandan said the investigation into the case was "shoddy".

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On May 26 last year, Sessions Court judge Azura Alwi sentenced Peter to three years’ jail and fined him RM50,000 in default 15 months’ jail after he was found guilty of falsifying a letter relating to a service and maintenance contract in 2014.

On Dec 14, 2021, the court ordered Peter, 51, to enter his defence after finding that the prosecution had succeeded in establishing a prima facie case against the former state infrastructure development minister.

At the prosecution stage, a total of 15 witnesses including former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, former treasury secretary-general Tan Sri Dr Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah and former chief justice Tun Zaki Azmi who was appointed were called to testify at the trial which began on April 5, 2021.

ALSO READ: Sessions Court agrees to stay Peter Anthony's forgery conviction, sentence

According to the charge, Peter, as the managing director of Asli Jati, had allegedly forged a letter from the office of the Universiti Malaysia Sabah deputy vice-chancellor dated June 9, 2014, by inserting a false statement with the intention of using it for fraudulent purposes.

The former Parti Warisan vice president was accused of committing the offence at the office of the principal private secretary to the prime minister at the Perdana Putra building in Putrajaya between June 13 and Aug 21, 2014.

The charge was framed under Section 468 of the Penal Code for forging a document for the purpose of cheating which provides for imprisonment of up to seven years and a fine, upon conviction.