Kuala lumpur: Former senior political secretary to the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin, has filed an appeal against the High Court's decision to reject his application to transfer five corruption charges from the Sessions Court to the court. Lawyer Datuk Amer Hamzah Arshad, representing Shamsul Iskandar, informed Judge Suzana Hussin that his party had filed the application at the Court of Appeal on May 6.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, on April 28, High Court Judge Noor Ruwena Md Nurdin rejected the application because it did not meet the requirements under Section 417 of the Criminal Procedure Code. When Judge Suzana inquired whether the defense intended to apply for a postponement of the case proceedings, Amer Hamzah responded that his party had not yet finalized the matter. He mentioned, "For now, we are following the existing proceedings and requesting the court to set another date for case management."
Earlier, Deputy Public Prosecutor Farah Ezlin Yusop Khan stated that her party had submitted documents to the defense, with some documents still pending submission before the trial date is set. The court has scheduled the case management for June 29.
Shamsul Iskandar, 51, faces two counts of agreeing to accept cash bribes amounting to RM140,000 from businessman Tei Jiann Cheing, also known as Albert Tei, as an inducement to help Tei's company obtain approval for a mineral exploration license in Sabah. Additionally, he is charged with accepting bribes in the form of furniture and electrical goods worth RM14,580.03 and RM22,249 from the same individual for the same purpose.
The offenses allegedly occurred at various locations, including a premises in Jalan Medang Serai, Bukit Bandaraya; a hotel car park in Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin; and Jalan P14A 1/1, Precinct 14, Putrajaya, between December 7, 2023, and January 31, 2024, as well as between November 24, 2023, and March 5, 2024.
Shamsul Iskandar is also accused of obtaining bribes totaling RM64,924, deposited into Rahmalidya Buyong's CIMB Bank account to pay for house rent at Jalan Medang Serai, Bukit Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur, from Tei, to assist in obtaining the mineral exploration license. All charges fall under Section 17(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 (Act 694) and are punishable under Section 24(1) of the act, with a maximum imprisonment of 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the bribe amount or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.