Kota Kinabalu: Assemblymen Datuk Andi Muhammad Suryady Bandy and Datuk Dr Yusof Yacob, who were charged with receiving and giving bribes amounting to RM350,000 over applications to obtain mineral exploration licences in Sabah, managed to get back their passports for overseas travel for four months.
Sessions Court Judge Jason Juga granted their applications during their case management, Tuesday.
The court said the temporary return of the passports was for four months as applied.
Andi and Dr Yusof must surrender their passports to the court again on or before Jan 23, 2026, the court added.
Andi, 44, who is State Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship Assistant Minister, and Sindumin Assemblyman Dr Yusof, 69, had claimed trial on June 30 this year.
Andi, also Tanjung Batu Assemblyman, is accused of receiving a RM150,000 bribe from Tei, as an inducement to assist in the processing of the Sinaran Hayat Sdn Bhd’s application for a Prospecting Licence for mineral in Sabah.
He allegedly committed the offence at 11pm on May 12, 2023, at his residence in Jalan Pantai, Sembulan, near here.
Yusof allegedly accepted a RM200,000 bribe also from Tei, also known as Albert Tei, as an inducement to assist in the processing of the Prospecting Licence for Nusa Kini Sdn Bhd also to explore for minerals in Sabah.
The offence allegedly took place at 2pm on March 6, 2023, at the Rooftop Bar & Grill @ Hilton, here.
Meanwhile, the court refused to grant a gag order against businessman Datuk Tei Jiann Cheing, 37, who was also charged with two counts of giving the bribes to Andi and Yusof for the same purpose at the same places and times.
The court said it would not grant any order (the gag order) as long as it does not affect the process of the trial. Earlier, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Rustam Sanip informed the court that the prosecution had served additional documents, namely forensic analysis reports for pendrive and handphone, verification of Andi and Yusof’s movement records from Immigration Department and verification from telecommunications.
Counsel Datuk Ram Singh, who represented the two assemblymen, confirmed receiving the documents.
During the proceedings, Ram applied for a temporary return on their passports for four months as the duo needed to travel overseas based on their job requirements.
“The second application is that I believe Datuk Albert is going to do a press conference after this case and we have no objection to him making a press conference except anything to humiliate my clients due to the process of court and also the Chief Minister of Sabah and other related parties.
“I am urging this court to have the gag order in order not to humiliate or embarrass anyone,” said Ram.
In reply, DPP Rustam said for the first application for passport to be handed over temporarily for a period of four months, the prosecution has no objection.
“However, we humbly pray for the court to fix a specific date for the passport to be handed back to the court for safe keeping.
“For the second application in respect of the gag order against Datuk Albert, we leave it to the court to make any order,” said Rustam.
For Tei, the court set Oct 24 for further pre-trial case management.