KUALA LUMPUR: Businessman Albert Tei will file an application to transfer the five corruption charges he faces from the Sessions Court to the High Court here.
His lawyer, Mahajoth Singh, said the application will be filed by next week.
"The application is being made because the charges facing our client involve constitutional issues under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act," he said when met by reporters after proceedings at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex.
Mahajoth also said the defence will first examine all case documents before deciding whether to submit a representation to the prosecution.
Earlier, during proceedings before judge Rosli Ahmad, Deputy Public Prosecutor Nurul Qistini Qamarul Abrar informed the court that the prosecution had handed over several case documents to the defence.
Judge Rosli then set April 15 for mention.
Tei, whose real name is Tei Jiann Cheing, 37, was charged with four counts of giving a bribe of RM140,000 in cash and furniture, including electrical goods worth RM14,580.03 and RM22,249 to former senior political secretary to the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin.
The bribe was an inducement for Shamsul Iskandar to help companies that Tei had interests in obtain approval for mineral exploration licenses in Sabah.
All the offences were allegedly committed at the car park of a hotel in Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin, Jalan Medang Serai, Bukit Bandaraya, here and Precinct 14, Putrajaya, between Nov 24, 2023 and March 5, 2024.
Tei is also charged with giving a bribe amounting to RM64,924 to Shamsul Iskandar at a bank in Country Heights, Kajang, between Nov 28, 2023 and Sept 23, 2024.
All charges were brought under Section 17 (b) of the MACC Act 2009, which is punishable under Section 24 (1) of the same act and provides imprisonment for up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount or value of the bribe or RM10,000, or whichever is higher, if convicted. - Bernama
