July 20 decision day for Zizie Izette in RM2.8 million corruption trial

KUALA LUMPUR - The Sessions Court has set July 20 to deliver its verdict on Datin Seri Zizie Izette Abdul Samad, who faces three corruption charges involving RM2.8 million linked to a RM150 million investment in Public Mutual Berhad unit trusts.

Judge Rosli Ahmad set the date after hearing final submissions from both the prosecution and defence at the close of the defence case today.

"The court sets July 20 for the decision. The parties must file any additional written submissions on or before June 9," he said.

Zizie Izette, the widow of the late Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, former Kinabatangan MP, faces three charges of conspiring with her husband to obtain RM2.8 million in cash bribes.

The defence team closed its case after Zizie Izette completed her testimony on March 5. Bung Moktar had testified on Sept 2, 2025, following the couple's failed appeal against a Court of Appeal ruling that ordered them to enter their defence.

The Court of Appeal delivered that ruling on Nov 18, 2024, after allowing the prosecution's appeal against the couple's acquittal by the High Court.

However, on Jan 16 this year, the Sessions Court discharged Bung Moktar from all three charges following the prosecution's decision to discontinue the case against the former lawmaker, who died on Dec 5, 2025.

Earlier, on Sept 2, 2022, Sessions Court Judge Rozina Ayob had ordered both Bung Moktar and Zizie Izette to enter their defence on all three charges, ruling that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against them.

Zizie Izette, 47, is accused of conspiring with Bung Moktar, then non-executive chairman of Felcra Berhad, to obtain RM2.2 million in cash bribes from Madhi Abdul Hamid, a Public Mutual Berhad investment agent.

The alleged bribe was payment for her husband securing approval from the Second Finance Minister for Felcra Berhad to invest RM150 million in Public Mutual Berhad unit trust products.

On the second charge, Zizie Izette is accused of conspiring with Bung Moktar to obtain a cash bribe of RM262,500 from Madhi, allegedly channeled through a Public Islamic Treasures Growth Fund (PITGF) account registered in her name, for the same purpose.

On the third charge, she is accused of conspiring with her husband to obtain a bribe of RM337,500 from another Public Mutual Berhad investment agent, Norhaili Ahmad Mokhtar.

This was allegedly done through a Public Ittikal Sequel Fund (PITSEQ) account registered in her name, also for the same purpose.

Zizie Izette allegedly committed all the offences at Public Bank Berhad, Taman Melawati branch, on June 12 and 19, 2015.

She was charged under Section 28(1)(c) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, which provides for a maximum prison sentence of 20 years and a fine of five times the value of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

Earlier, Zizie Izette's counsel, Datuk Seri K. Kumaraendran, submitted that for all three charges, the prosecution must prove that his client, who allegedly abetted the first accused, Bung Moktar, had substantially assisted him by receiving the bribe money.

He further argued that the money was allegedly received for the first accused to facilitate an act related to the affairs of his principal: namely, obtaining approval from the Second Finance Minister for Felcra Bhd to invest RM150 million in Public Mutual Berhad's unit trust products.

The lawyer said that under the charges against the second accused, the prosecution must prove that the alleged bribe money was received by the first accused to establish the element of abetment.

"We submit that the prosecution has failed to establish the essential elements of the charges, as all evidence before the court shows that the RM2.8 million paid to the second accused was an introductory fee voluntarily given by SP24 (Madhi) and SP25 (Norhaili). There is no evidence that the introductory fee was a bribe," he said.

Meanwhile, deputy public prosecutor Law Chin How argued that Zizie Izette did not reject the RM2.8 million payment.

Instead, she agreed with the prosecution's suggestion that she did not object to receiving it, even though she knew the money originated from Felcra Bhd's investment in Public Mutual.

Law said the accused should have refused the money, given that her husband, the late Bung Moktar, held the position of non-executive chairman of Felcra Bhd at all material times.

"At the defence stage, it was the accused's responsibility to respond to the charges against her by providing an explanation that the money she received in conspiracy with her husband was not obtained corruptly.

"However, the accused failed to do so at this stage. Her defence narrative is unreasonable and illogical, and therefore does not amount to a reasonable explanation to prove her innocence," he said. - BERNAMA