KOTA KINABALU: The trial of businessman Albert Tei regarding an application for a mineral exploration licence in Sabah has been set for April 20 to 24 next year.
Sessions Court Judge Elsie Primus set the dates following today’s pre-trial case management, with 15 witnesses expected to be called throughout the proceedings.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) prosecuting officer Dzulkarnain Rousan Hasbi handed over documents and a compact disc related to the case to the defence team on Tuesday (Dec 9).
The defence is represented by counsel Edward Paul, Batholomew Jinggulam and Jul Hamri.
On June 30, Tei,37, and two former Sabah assemblymen pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court to corruption charges related to a mineral mining licence in Sabah in 2023.
Former Sindumin Assemblyman Datuk Dr Yusof @ Josree Yacob, former Tanjung Batu Assemblyman Datuk Andi Muhammad Suryady Bandy, and Tei entered their pleas after separate charges related to the corruption case were read out before Judge Jason Juga.
Yusof, 69, who is also Chairman of Qhazanah Sabah Berhad, was charged with receiving a RM200,000 bribe from Tei as an inducement to assist with the application for a prospecting licence for mineral exploration in Sabah, at a hotel here at 2 pm on 6 March 2023.
Andi Muhammad Suryady, 44, who is also Sabah Assistant Minister of Industrial and Entrepreneur Development and Member of Parliament for Kalabakan, was charged with receiving a RM150,000 bribe from Tei, as an inducement to assist with the application for a prospecting licence for mineral exploration in Sabah, at the assemblyman’s residence here at 11pm on 12 May 2023.
Tei was charged with two counts of giving bribes to Yusof and Andi Muhammad Suryady at the same locations, dates and times. - Bernama
