KUALA LUMPUR: A witness told the Sessions Court here that he met Sayed Amir Muzzakkir Al Sayed Mohamad, the former political secretary to former home minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin, to hand over RM350,000 in cash at the Yayasan Tanah Aku office in Publika in 2020.
Wan Azhar Mohamed Yusof, 51, said he handed over RM100,000 to Sayed Amir Muzzakkir at about 4pm on Dec 4, 2020, and RM250,000 at 3.30pm on Dec 16, 2020.
The 17th prosecution witness said this on Thursday (Oct 8) during re-examination by deputy public prosecutor Hazel Tan Jia Qi at the trial of Sayed Amir Muzzakkir, who is facing three corruption charges involving RM350,000 in connection with a Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) project tender.
"I handed over RM100,000 in a paper bag to Sayed... and RM250,000, also in a paper bag, was handed over on Dec 16, 2020. During those handovers, it was just the two of us," he said.
Wan Azhar also said that Sayed Amir Muzzakkir had asked him, "Can you pay 350k? I need the money, in cash."
He said the RM350,000 was part of a 5% commission for assistance rendered to Nexuscorpgroup Sdn Bhd (NSB) in securing a PDRM project tender worth RM381.11mil.
Wan Azhar also said he referred to the payment as a commission rather than an "advisory fee”, based on a conversation between him and Al Khairi Group Bhd managing director Datuk Seri Mohd Khairi Mat Jahya before the "Project Advisory Agreement” between MKM Solutions Sdn Bhd and NSB was executed.
In his earlier witness statement, Wan Azhar said the agreement was drawn up to formalise a 5% commission arrangement based on the project value, as requested by Sayed Amir Muzzakkir and Khairi.
On Sept 29, Wan Azhar denied a defence lawyer’s allegation that he had changed the term "advisory fee” in the "Project Advisory Agreement” to "commission” in his witness statement to link the case involving Sayed Amir Muzzakkir to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009.
ALSO READ: Publika office existed, witness insists in Hamzah Zainudin aide's graft trial
On May 23, 2024, Sayed Amir Muzzakkir, 44, was charged with two counts of receiving RM350,000 in gratification from Wan Azhar Mohamed Yusof as inducement for assisting NSB secure the tender for PDRM valued at RM381,112,042.44.
The offences were allegedly committed at the office of Yayasan Tanah Aku, Solaris Dutamas, here, at 4pm on Dec 4, 2020 and at 3.30pm on Dec 16, 2020, respectively.
Sayed Amir Muzzakkir was also charged with soliciting RM350,000 in gratification from the same individual, for a similar purpose, at the Shah Alam office of NSB in early December 2020.
The charges were framed under Section 16(a)(A) of the MACC Act 2009, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years' jail and a fine of not less than five times the value of the gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
The trial before judge Rosli Ahmad resumes on Nov 11. – Bernama
