KUALA LUMPUR: Member of Parliament for Kinabatangan, Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin and his wife, Datin Seri Zizie Izette Abdul Samad, have successfully suspended their defence proceedings against three corruption charges amounting to RM2.8mil at the Sessions Court here on Wednesday (April 9).
According to Sinar Harian, Judge Rosli Ahmad made the decision after lawyer M Athimulan, representing Bung Moktar, 66, informed that the prosecution did not oppose the application.
He stated that the suspension is in effect until the Court of Appeal in Putrajaya decides on the review of the order to present their defence.
"For the court's information, the prosecution as respondents and we as applicants have submitted arguments for this application.
"However, this morning it was informed that the respondent does not oppose the suspension of proceedings," said Athimulan, who was present with lawyer Datuk Seri K Kumaraendran representing Zizie Izette, 47.
Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Law Chin How confirmed no objection to the application after receiving further instructions.
"Since the suspension order has been granted, we request that the trial dates be set after the disposal of the review application.
"The deputy registrar of the Court of Appeal has set a case management date to determine the review hearing date on Friday (April 11)," he said.
After hearing this, Judge Rosli set new trial dates for Aug 18 to 20, Sept 2 to 4, and Sept 24 to 26.
He stated that the previously set trial dates of April 9 to 11, 14, and 15, as well as May 5 and 6, are vacated.
On Nov 18 last year, the Court of Appeal ordered Bung Moktar and Zizie Izette to present their defence on the three corruption charges after allowing the prosecution's appeal against their acquittal by the High Court here on Sept 7, 2023.
On Sept 2, 2022, Sessions Court Judge Rozina Ayob ordered them to defend themselves against the three charges, finding that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against them at the end of the prosecution's case.
Bung Moktar, 65, then the non-executive chairman of Felcra Berhad, was charged on May 3, 2019, with two counts of receiving bribes of RM2.2mil and RM262,500 as inducement to obtain approval for Felcra to invest RM150mil in Public Mutual unit trusts.
He is accused of receiving bribes from Public Mutual Berhad investment agent Madhi Abdul Hamid through Zizie Izette, 46, at Public Bank Berhad, Taman Melawati branch here between 12.30pm and 5pm on June 12, 2015.
Bung Moktar is also accused of corruptly obtaining RM337,500 in cash from Public Mutual Berhad investment agent Norhaili Ahmad Mokhtar through a Public Ittikal Sequel Fund (Pitseq) account registered under Zizie Izette's name for the same purpose.
