KUALA LUMPUR: The hearing of an appeal by former Youth and Sports Ministry finance division secretary Otman Arsahd, who was convicted and sentenced to 15 years in jail and fined RM284.2mil for graft, has been postponed to September.
Justice Noor Ruwena Md Nurdin postponed the hearing after allowing Otman's application to adjourn the proceedings.
His lawyer Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali informed the court that parties in the case had recently received exhibits, 4,000-page proceedings notes, and the full grounds of judgment on June 4.
"I seek for the proceedings, which were initially scheduled for today, to be fixed for a later date in September. We have also sent two letters of application to postpone dated June 14 and June 19," Muhammad Rafique said.
Justice Noor Ruwena reminded parties that there would be no more delays to the hearing as the trial dates had been previously agreed by all.
"We have fixed the dates for hearing but at the same time I do not want the court to be seen as not concerned with the troubles and challenges involving parties," she said.
"This is the first postponement so I will allow it but I hope there will be no more delays," she added.
Justice Noor Ruwena then vacated the hearing dates for June 22, June 23 and June 25, replacing them with Sept 21, Sept 22 and Sept 23.
"I believe with cooperation by parties, the case can be concluded this year," she added.
Deputy public prosecutors Farah Yasmin Salleh, Haresh Prakash Somiah and Mohd Ashrof Adrin Kamarul appeared for the prosecution.
On July 6, 2023, the Sessions Court found Otman guilty of 32 charges of corruption and 64 charges of money laundering. He was sentenced to 15 years' jail and fined RM284.2mil.
On the 32 charges of corruption, 17 counts were for submitting false claims, for which Otman was sentenced to a total of 243 years in jail and a fine totalling RM190mil, in default 119 months in jail. For the 15 charges, which were for misusing his position, he was sentenced to 85 years' imprisonment and fined RM10.8mil, in default 125 months in jail.
Meanwhile, for the 64 money-laundering charges involving receiving proceeds from unlawful activities, the court ordered Otman to be jailed for between three months and 11 years on each count and fined a total of RM83.4mil, in default 934 months' jail.
The court ordered for the prison sentences to be served concurrently. It also allowed a stay of execution pending appeal.
