Shamsul Iskandar's five corruption cases to be tried together

KUALA LUMPUR - A corruption case involving Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin at the Shah Alam Sessions Court will be tried together with four other corruption charges he faces at the Sessions Court here, all linked to the approval of a mineral exploration licence in Sabah.

Judge Suzana Hussin made the ruling after allowing an application by deputy public prosecutor Farah Ezlin Yusop Khan to transfer the Shah Alam case. The application was not objected to by defence counsel Datuk Amer Hamzah Arshad, who represents the former senior political secretary to the Prime Minister.

"The court allowed the prosecution’s application for the cases to be tried together and fixed March 11 for mention, for the submission of documents,” the Judge said.

Earlier, Farah Ezlin sought an extension of time for the prosecution to submit documents related to the case to both the court and the defence team, citing the need to determine which documents would be relied upon during the trial.

Amer Hamzah said the defence did not object to the application but requested that documents already available be furnished to them first.

"After reviewing the documents, we will consider submitting representations if any weaknesses or issues arise. We are also studying the possibility of filing an application to transfer the case to the High Court, as there are legal issues relating to the charges that will be challenged,” Amer Hamzah said.

Shamsul Iskandar faces a total of five corruption charges. On Dec 4, he was charged at the Sessions Court here with agreeing to accept a cash bribe of RM100,000 from businessman Albert Tei Jiann Cheing, 37, as an inducement to assist companies in which Tei had interests to obtain mineral exploration licence approvals in Sabah, despite the matter being unrelated to his official duties.

He was also charged with obtaining another RM40,000 in cash for the same purpose, as well as two further charges of receiving bribes in the form of furniture and electrical items valued at RM14,580.03 and RM22,249, respectively, from the same individual.

The offences were allegedly committed at premises in Jalan Medang Serai, Bukit Bandaraya; at a hotel car park in Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin, Kuala Lumpur and at Jalan P14a 1/1, Presint 14, Putrajaya, between Dec 7, 2023, and Jan 31, 2024, as well as at Jalan P14a 1/1, Presint 14, Putrajaya, between Nov 24, 2023, and March 5, 2024. 

On Dec 5, Shamsul Iskandar was further charged at the Shah Alam Sessions Court with one count of corruptly obtaining a bribe amounting to RM62,924 from Tei at a bank in Country Heights, Kajang, allegedly committed between Nov 28, 2023, and Sept 23, 2024.

The money was allegedly deposited into the bank account of a woman for the purpose of paying rent for a house in Kuala Lumpur, and was purportedly given as an inducement for him to assist companies linked to Tei in obtaining approval for mineral exploration licences in Sabah.

All charges were framed under Section 17(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 (Act 694), which is punishable under Section 24(1) of the same Act which provides for a maximum jail term of 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount or value of the bribe, if it can be assessed, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

In a separate Sessions Court, Judge Rosli Ahmad allowed the prosecution’s application for the case involving Tei at the Shah Alam Sessions Court to be tried together with the four other corruption charges he faces at the Sessions Court here.

Judge fixed March 13 for further mention of the case for the submission of documents.

On Dec 4, Tei was also charged at the Sessions Court here with two counts of giving cash bribes amounting to RM100,000 and RM40,000 to Shamsul Iskandar, as an inducement for him to assist companies in which Tei had interests to obtain mineral exploration licence approvals in Sabah, despite the matter being unrelated to Shamsul Iskandar’s official duties.

He also faces two additional charges of giving bribes in the form of furniture and electrical items valued at RM14,580.03 and RM22,249, respectively, to Shamsul Iskandar for the same purpose.

All the offences were allegedly committed at several locations, including premises along Jalan Medang Serai, Bukit Bandaraya; a hotel car park on Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin, Kuala Lumpur; and Jalan P14a 1/1, Precinct 14, Putrajaya, between Dec 7, 2023, and Jan 31, 2024, as well as between Nov 24, 2023, and March 5, 2024.

On Dec 5, Tei was also charged at the Shah Alam Sessions Court with giving a bribe amounting to RM64,924 to Shamsul Iskandar, allegedly deposited into a woman’s bank account to pay for house rental in Kuala Lumpur, as an inducement to assist companies linked to Tei in obtaining mineral exploration licence approvals in Sabah.

The charge was framed under Section 17(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 (Act 694), punishable under Section 24(1) of the same Act. - BERNAMA