By Dawn Chan | New Straits Times
The legal team of former political secretary to the prime minister, Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin, told the Sessions Court today that they may consider filing a representation after studying documents from the prosecution.
Shamsul Iskandar’s lawyer, Datuk Amer Hamzah Arshad, had requested that the prosecution, led by deputy public prosecutor Farah Ezlin Yusop Khan, hand over available documents to them before the next mention set on March 11.
Representations are usually made to the Attorney-General’s Chambers seeking the withdrawal or reduction of charges preferred against an accused.
This came after Farah Ezlin told Judge Suzana Hussin that the prosecution have yet to hand over documents related to Shamsul Iskandar’s five corruption charges to the defence, as they are still determining which to be used in the trial.
To this, Amer Hamzah said he did not object to the prosecution’s need for time to prepare the documents but asked that the available ones be served to them first.
“It will assist our side to consider if there is a need for us to put in a representation at this stage.
“We will also study and may file an application to transfer the cases to the High Court. We have informed this to the prosecution.
“There are some legal issues involving the section related to the charge that we want to challenge at the High Court.
“If we do, we will file it at the High Court before the mention date,” he said.
Suzana then reminded the prosecution to hand over the documents to the defence.
Shamsul Iskandar, 52, clad in a blue batik shirt, appeared calm during proceedings in a packed courtroom filled with his supporters.
The judge also allowed the prosecution’s application to transfer one corruption count levelled against Shamsul Iskandar at the Shah Alam Sessions Court to her court, and to be jointly tried with four other charges, here.
The charge at the Shah Alam Sessions Court was read again to Shamsul Iskandar and his non-guilty plea was recorded.
Suzana set March 11 for document submission and allowed the same bail and conditions set previously.
Separately, Sessions Court judge Rosli Ahmad also allowed the transfer of businessman Albert Tei’s one charge from the Shah Alam Sessions Court involving allegedly giving Shamsul Iskandar a RM64,924 bribe.
The charge was read again to Tei, 37, clad in a blue suit. He claimed trial to it, and it will now be tried with four other charges of RM176,829.03 in gratification to Shamsul Iskandar.
Tei was represented by lawyer N. Surendran.
Rosli set March 13 for mention.
On Dec 4 last year, Tei pleaded not guilty to four counts of giving cash and household items on several occasions between November 2023 and March this year as inducements for Shamsul to assist companies linked to him in obtaining mineral exploration licences in Sabah.
Shamsul Iskandar also pleaded not guilty to receiving RM176,829.03 in graft from Tei.
The next day at the Shah Alam Sessions Court, (Dec 5), Shamsul claimed trial to a charge of soliciting a RM64,924 bribe from Tei in 2023 and 2024.
He was accused of fraudulently soliciting the money from Tei to cover the rental of a house on Jalan Medang Serai in Bukit Bandaraya, Kuala Lumpur.
The funds were allegedly deposited into the bank account of a woman, Rahmalidya Buyong, between Nov 28, 2023 and Sept 23, last year at a bank in Country Heights, Kajang.
The alleged gratification was intended as an inducement for Shamsul to assist companies linked to Tei in securing mineral exploration licences in Sabah.
However, the matter was unrelated to his official duties as an aide to the prime minister.
Tei also pleaded not guilty of a charge of giving the bribe to Shamsul for the same purpose and over the same period through Rahmalidya.
