PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal has set Feb 20 to give its verdict on the appeals of former rural and regional development ministry secretary-general Datuk Mohd Arif Ab Rahman and his son to challenge their convictions and prison sentences in a bribery case.
Mohd Arif, 67 and his son Ahmad Zukhairi, 42, were found guilty of corruption by the Sessions Court in 2018, a decision that was later upheld by the High Court. The father and son are now appealing both their convictions and the prison sentences.
Datuk Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, counsel for Mohd Arif, confirmed the decision date to Bernama on Thursday (Nov 21).
The court of appeal’s three-judge panel, consisting of Datuk Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera, Datuk Lim Chong Fong, and Datuk Azizul Azmi Adnan, had heard arguments from both the defence and prosecution on October 22 but deferred its decision.
Justice Vazeer, who presided over the case, has since been appointed to the Federal Court.
On Nov 14, 2018, the Sessions Court found Mohd Arif, 67, guilty of abetting Ahmad Zukhairi, in accepting SGD$200,000 (RM627,833) from Syarikat Wazlina Sdn Bhd director Safian Salleh.
He was charged with accepting the money as gratification and an inducement to secure a hybrid solar system project in four remote islands off Sandakan, Sabah, worth RM57.5mil, which was awarded to Syarikat Eramaz (M) Sdn Bhd, an associate company of Syarikat Wazlina at Royal Lake Club, Jalan Cenderamulia, Kuala Lumpur between 4 pm and 7 pm on Aug 23, 2016.
Mohd Arif was sentenced to three years in prison and fined RM3mil, in default, three years imprisonment if the fine was not paid.
Ahmad Zukhairi, a businessman, was convicted of four counts of soliciting and accepting bribes in connection with several projects involving the rural development ministry in 2016.
He was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment and a RM9.6mil fine, in default a 10-year jail term if the fine was not paid.
Their appeals were dismissed by the High Court on March 23, 2021, prompting them to take their case to the Court of Appeal. - Bernama
