KUALA LUMPUR: A businessman who was robbed at his home recently said he was too “traumatised” to testify in the corruption trial involving former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng.
Datuk Seri G. Gnanaraja, a key prosecution witness, expressed his fears when asked to continue reading his witness statement.
“I am not here to accuse anyone, but I am not okay to give my statement because I feel threatened.
“I request protection first ... I want the police to ensure my safety,” the 37th prosecution witness told Sessions Court Judge Azura Alwi.
On Aug 6, it was reported that Gnanaraja was attacked by a group of men during a robbery at his home in Petaling Jaya, and sustained injuries.
During his brief time on the stand, Gnanaraja addressed questions about his Datuk Seri title, which had been reinstated by the Pahang palace after his acquittal in a separate case in Shah Alam.
“Many are not aware that I got back everything that was seized from me,” he said.
Gnanaraja also produced a court order about the reinstatement of his title.
The court then took a break with DPP Mahadi Abdul Jumaat saying his client was not “mentally ready” to continue.
Gnanaraja will now continue when the hearing resumes on Aug 27 and 28.
Earlier, defence lawyer RSN Rayer raised concerns about the prosecution’s statements to the media about the robbery, referring to them as contempt.
Fellow defence lawyer Ramkarpal Singh also urged the prosecution to clarify whether witness protection would be sought.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin had told the media earlier that he would consult the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki about witness protection.
Ramkarpal then questioned Wan Shaharuddin’s need to consult Azam, suggesting it implied a connection between his client and the robbery. This led to a heated exchange between the defence lawyers and the DPP.
After deliberations, it was confirmed that no application for witness protection or recusal would be filed.
Lim, 64, is facing an amended charge of using his position as then chief minister to solicit RM3.3mil in bribes as an inducement to assist Datuk Zarul Ahmad Zulkifli, a former director of Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd, in securing the undersea tunnel project worth RM6.34bil.
Lim allegedly committed the offence at the Penang Chief Minister’s Office, Level 28, Komtar, George Town, between January 2011 and August 2017.
In the second amended charge, Lim is accused of soliciting a 10% profit from the company as gratification to secure the project.
The offence was allegedly committed near The Gardens Hotel, Lingkaran Syed Putra, Mid Valley City here, in March 2011.
Lim, who is Bagan MP, faces two further charges of causing two plots of land worth RM208.8mil, belonging to the Penang government, to be disposed of to two companies linked to the project.
