Prosecution preparing Tengku Zafrul's witness statement in Muhyiddin's case

KUALA LUMPUR - The prosecution is preparing the witness statement of former Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz in the case against Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who faces charges of abusing his position in connection with RM232.5 million in bribes and RM200 million from illicit activities.

Deputy public prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin told High Court Judge Noor Ruwena Md Nurdin that 99.5 per cent of witness statements have been provided to the defence, with only this key witness’s statement pending.

"Tengku Zafrul’s statement will be handed to the defence two weeks before he testifies in court," Wan Shaharuddin said.

Muhyiddin’s lawyer, Datuk Amer Hamzah Arshad, confirmed receipt of the statements but noted that the defence has yet to receive one from businessman Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhari.

"We seek confirmation on whether Syed Mokhtar will be called to testify. We accept the prosecution’s discretion in this matter," he added.

"I raise this matter because Syed Mokhtar’s name was not included in the prosecution’s witness list," the lawyer said.

Wan Shaharuddin explained that the witness list submitted to the defence today pertains only to the Projek Jana Wibawa case, and that Syed Mokhtar’s name had been included in the witness list for the money laundering charges, which was provided to the defence three years ago.

"If no witness statement is submitted to the defence, the witness (Syed Mokhtar) will likely testify orally," he added.

Judge Noor Ruwena then directed the prosecution to submit the full witness list by this Friday. Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin was absent from today’s proceedings after being granted leave by the court.

Previously, the court had scheduled 29 hearing days for the case, set on March 9 to 11; April 13, 16, 28 to 29; May 25 to 26; July 6 to 10, 13 to 17, and 27 to 29; and continuing on Aug 17 to 21, 26, and 27 this year.

On Oct 7 last year, the Attorney General’s Chambers rejected Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s application to have seven charges against him dismissed.

Muhyiddin, 78, who was then Prime Minister and Bersatu president, was charged with four counts of abuse of power for allegedly soliciting RM232.5 million in bribes for the political party from Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd, Nepturis Sdn Bhd, Mamfor Sdn Bhd, and Datuk Azman Yusoff in connection with the Jana Wibawa project.

He was accused of committing the offence at the Prime Minister's Office, Bangunan Perdana Putra, Federal Government Administration Centre in Putrajaya between March 1, 2020, and Aug 20, 2021.

The Pagoh member of parliament also faces three charges of receiving RM200 million in illegal proceeds from Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd, which were deposited into Bersatu's Ambank and CIMB Bank accounts.

The offence was allegedly committed at AmBank, Amcorp Mall branch, Petaling Jaya on Jan 7, 2022, and CIMB Bank, Menara KL Branch, Jalan Stesen Sentral, between February 25 and July 16, 2021, and Feb 8 and July 8, 2022. - BERNAMA