A short while back, the High Court delivered a verdict of acquittal for Kinabatangan Member of Parliament, Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, and his spouse, Datin Seri Zizie Izette Abdul Samad, clearing them of three corruption charges that had loomed over them.
In the wake of this good news, Datuk Seri Bung Moktar shared a snapshot of himself at a local mamak eatery, accompanied by the caption, "Apa pun yang berlaku mesti kena tea ice dulu ya!!!" which translates to "No matter what happens, you must have ice tea first!!!" Could this caption perhaps be linked to his recent acquittal?
The decision came from Judge Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid, who granted the couple's applications for a revision of the Sessions Court's prior ruling, which had compelled them to mount a defense against corruption allegations totaling RM2.8 million. These charges were related to a significant RM150 million investment in Public Mutual Berhad unit trusts.
Judge Azhar, invoking Section 323 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC), found that this case warranted the exercise of his revisionary authority. He stated, "Upon reviewing the records of the proceedings, this court finds no evidence suggesting that the 24th prosecution witness, Public Mutual Berhad's investment agent Madhi Abdul Hamid, or the 25th prosecution witness, Unit Amanah consultant Norhaili Ahmad Mokhtar, had funneled money to Bung Mokhtar through his wife. Therefore, the Sessions Court's decision to call for their defense constitutes a miscarriage of justice. I hereby acquit and discharge both individuals under Section 325 of the CPC."
The charges stemmed from events on June 12, 2015, where Bung Moktar allegedly accepted bribes amounting to RM2.2 million and RM262,500 to secure Felcra's approval for the RM150 million investment in Public Mutual unit trusts. These alleged bribes were purportedly received from Public Mutual Bhd's investment agent, Madhi Abdul Hamid, via Zizie Izette at Public Bank's Taman Melawati Branch between 12:30 PM and 5:00 PM.
Bung Moktar also faced allegations of receiving RM337,500 in cash from Unit Amanah consultant, Norhaili Ahmad Mokhtar, using Zizie Izette's name for the same reason and location on June 19, 2015. Simultaneously, Zizie Izette herself was met with three charges of abetting her husband in connection to these events.
Malaysia has witnessed some noteworthy discharges in recent weeks. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has repeatedly distanced himself from high-profile court cases, asserting that he has had no involvement in their outcomes. Consequently, it appears that the results of these recent high-profile cases can be attributed directly to the judges and the courts. What are your thoughts on this matter?
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