PETALING JAYA: The defence in the trial of former Sabah infrastructure development minister Peter Anthony closed its case after calling three witnesses.
Anthony is charged with falsifying a letter from the office of the Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) deputy vice-chancellor for system maintenance contract work.
Sessions court judge Azura Alwi fixed March 31 to hear oral submissions. She will then decide whether Anthony should be acquitted or convicted.
She also instructed the prosecution and defence to provide written submissions by March 21.
Lawyer S Devanandan, who is representing Anthony, informed the judge that the defence would close its case after examining digital forensic manager from Siaga Informatics Sdn Bhd, Nurul Aiman Azmail.
On Dec 14, Azura ordered Anthony to enter his defence for the offence that was allegedly committed in 2014 as she held the prosecution had established a prima facie case.
Deputy public prosecutors Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin, Haresh Prakash Somiah and Francine Cheryl Rajendram prosecuted.
The prosecution had called 15 witnesses, who included former prime minister Najib Razak, ex-Treasury secretary-general Irwan Serigar Abdullah and former chief justice Zaki Azmi.
Anthony, 51, who was on the stand for two days, stated that he was not responsible for the falsification.
He was charged with having falsified a letter from the deputy vice-chancellor’s office by inserting a false statement with the intention to cheat.
The offence was allegedly committed at the office of the prime minister’s principal private secretary in Putrajaya between June 13 and Aug 21, 2014.
The charge was framed under Section 468 of the Penal Code for forging a document for the purpose of cheating, which provides for a jail term of up to seven years and a fine upon conviction.
He also faced an alternative charge of using a false document as genuine, which he had reason to believe was false, at the same place and time.
The charge was made under Section 471 of the Penal Code and is punishable under Section 465 of the same law for forgery, and can result in imprisonment for up to two years or a fine or both, if found guilty.
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