Former actress Zizie Izette testifies that a RM2.8 million payment from investment agents was a voluntary gift, not a bribe, in her corruption abetment trial.
KUALA LUMPUR: Datin Seri Zizie Izette Abdul Samad told the Sessions Court that the RM2.8 million she received from two Public Mutual investment agents was a voluntary and lawful ‘introduction fee’.
The 47-year-old widow of former Kinabatangan MP Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin said she was surprised when agents Norhaili Ahmad Mokhtar and Madhi Abdul Hamid offered her the money as a token of appreciation for expanding their social network.
“I was surprised… I told her (Norhaili) that I did nothing, however, Elly (Norhaili) said it was a common practice within her agency and part of its marketing strategy,” said the second defence witness while reading her statement.
She is facing three charges of abetting Bung Moktar in an RM2.8 million corruption case before Judge Rosli Ahmad, with her husband having been acquitted of the charges following his death.
Under cross-examination by Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohamad Fadhly Mohd Zamry, Zizie Izette confirmed she did not reject the money after questioning its source.
“After Norhaili convinced me… yes, I did not reject the money and agreed (to accept),” she stated in response to the prosecutor’s observation that this was her first such admission in court.
She firmly disagreed with the prosecution’s suggestion that she knew the payment was a bribe rather than a legitimate introduction fee.
During re-examination by her counsel Ridha Abdah Subri, she explained her acceptance was based on Norhaili’s assurance the funds came from her sales commission.
“After considering everything and hearing Elly’s explanation that the source of the money was her commission from Public Mutual, I did not see anything wrong with it and therefore accepted it willingly,” she testified.
Zizie Izette also told the court she never gave the money to her husband or informed him about it, denying any abetment in wrongdoing.
She explained that she and Bung Moktar managed their finances separately with individual safes and no joint bank accounts, adding she had no knowledge of his dealings with Felcra Bhd.
“I have never, in any way, directly or indirectly abetted, encouraged or prompted my husband to obtain approval from Felcra Bhd or from the then Minister of Finance II for Felcra Bhd to invest RM150 million in Public Mutual unit trust products,” she asserted.
The first charge alleges she abetted Bung Moktar, then non-executive chairman of Felcra, in obtaining a RM2.2 million bribe from Madhi to secure ministerial investment approval.
She faces a second charge of abetting in receiving RM262,500 from Madhi via a Public Islamic Treasures Growth Fund account in her name for the same purpose.
A third charge involves abetting in receiving RM337,500 from Norhaili through a Public Ittikal Sequel Fund account also registered under her name.
All offences were allegedly committed at a Public Bank branch in Taman Melawati on June 12 and June 19, 2015.
The charges under the MACC Act carry a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of at least five times the bribe amount or RM10,000.