COURT ALLOWS BUNG MOKTAR, WIFE’S CORRUPTION TRIAL TO BE POSTPONED TO JANUARY

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 13 (Bernama) -- The Sessions Court today allowed the application by Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin and his wife, Datin Seri Zizie Izette Abdul Samad, to postpone the hearing of their defence in the RM2.8 million corruption case, originally scheduled to resume on Nov 27 and Dec 3, to January next year.

Judge Rosli Ahmad made the ruling after deputy public prosecutor Mohd Fadhly Mohd Zamry informed the court that a letter had been submitted on Nov 4, requesting a postponement of the trial, on the grounds that the 17th Sabah state election will be held on Nov 29.

“The court allows the hearings on Nov 27 and Dec 3 to be postponed, and the trial will resume from Jan 12 to 14, 2026,” said Rosli during the case mention, which was also attended by lawyer Ridha Abdah Subri, representing Bung Moktar.

At the next proceedings, the defence is expected to call Zizie Izette to testify.

On May 3, 2019, the Kinabatangan member of Parliament was charged with two counts of accepting bribes, amounting to RM2.2 million and RM262,500, as an inducement to secure approval for Felcra’s RM150 million investment in Public Mutual unit trusts.

He was accused of receiving the bribes from Public Mutual investment agent, Madhi Abdul Hamid, through his wife, Zizie Izette, 46, at Public Bank Berhad, Taman Melawati branch, here, on June 12 and 19, 2015.

Bung Moktar also faces a separate charge, of corruptly obtaining RM337,500 in cash, from another Public Mutual investment agent, Norhaili Ahmad Mokhtar, through the Public Ittikal Sequel Fund (PITSEQ) account registered under Zizie Izette’s name, for the same purpose.

The charges were framed under Section 17(a) of the MACC Act 2009, which provides for a prison term of up to 20 years, and a fine of not less than five times the value of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

Zizie Izette faces three charges of abetting her husband in relation to the same offences, allegedly committed at the same places, dates, and times, under Section 28(1)(c) of the MACC Act 2009, which carries a maximum jail term of 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the value of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

-- BERNAMA