KUALA LUMPUR: Two star witnesses in a corruption trial involving the former political secretary to Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu found themselves in the dock at the Sessions Court here on Friday (Feb 2).
Half-brothers Zainudin Abdul Majid and Ahmad Hisham Mohd Tajuddin, who have the same mother, are facing five and four charges respectively for perjury.
Zainudin, 53, was charged with five counts of giving contradicting statements during the trial "Public Prosecutor v Mohd Azhar Che Mat Dali" at the Sessions Court on March 23 and July 4 last year.
His statements in the trial were not in line with the statements he gave to an investigating officer of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on Nov 2, 2022.
ALSO READ: Mat Sabu's ex-political secretary freed of bribery charges totalling RM6.48mil
The charge under Section 27(2) of the MACC Act 2009 carries a maximum RM100,000 fine or imprisonment of up to 10 years or both, if convicted.
Meanwhile, his older brother Ahmad Hisham, 54, pleaded not guilty to four counts of a similar offence, allegedly committed during the same trial, on May 9 and June 9 last year.
Zainudin and Ahmad Hisham pleaded not guilty to the offences before Sessions Judge Siti Aminah Ghazali.
DPPs Muhammad Asraf Mohamed Tahir and Farah Yasmin Salleh offered bail at RM30,000 in one surety for each accused.
The prosecution also sought additional bail conditions for the accused to hand over their passports to the court until the disposal of the case and to report to the MACC office monthly.
Lawyer Wan Shahrizal Wan Ladin, who represented both accused, asked for a lower bail amount at RM5,000.
He said his clients were no longer working and would find it impossible to pay any amount above RM5,000.
He also said their mother was paralysed.
"The offence they are accused of did not involve any harm to other people," Wan Shahrizal said.
Siti Aminah fixed bail at RM10,000 in one surety for each accused and imposed the additional bail conditions.
The court also fixed Feb 26 for mention of both cases.
