After five years and 38 witnesses, prosecution closes case in Lim Guan Eng trial

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 27 — After more than five years of proceedings and calling 38 witnesses, the prosecution today closed its case in the RM6.3 billion undersea tunnel and major roads project corruption trial involving former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng.

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin, who led the prosecution team, informed Sessions Court Judge Azura Alwi that the prosecution was closing its case after its 38th witness, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters senior superintendent Zulhilmi Ramli, who was also the investigating officer, concluded his testimony.

“Alhamdulillah, first of all, we would like to record our appreciation to your honour for patiently hearing this case for over five years. I hereby close the prosecution’s case and offer Penang Mayor Datuk Rajendran P. Anthony to the defence should they be called to enter their defence,” he said.

Azura then ordered both the prosecution and defence to file their written submissions by January 13, and fixed January 26 and 27 next year to hear oral submissions.

The trial commenced on July 13, 2021. Among the key witnesses called were former Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd director Datuk Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli, former Penang state executive councillor Datuk Lim Hock Seng, former Penang state secretary Datuk Seri Farizan Darus, former tourism and culture minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz, and businessman Datuk Seri G. Gnanaraja.

The trial drew significant attention following several notable developments, including the death of former Ewein Bhd group managing director Datuk Ewe Swee Kheng, who was found dead after reportedly falling from a luxury condominium unit in Jalan Kelawei, Penang, at 5.37am on October 5, 2021.

Ewe, 53, was the 15th prosecution witness scheduled to testify in the trial.

On December 16, 2021, the court allowed Ewe’s recorded statement to be admitted as evidence in Lim’s trial.

In today’s proceedings, Wan Shaharuddin was assisted by DPPs Mahadi Abdul Jumaat, Khairunnisa Hazwani Omar, Farah Yasmin Salleh, and Julaila Jamaludin, while Lim was represented by counsel Ramkarpal Singh, RSN Rayer, Mohd Haijan Omar, Tiara Katrina Fuad, and Asyraaf Abu Bakar Hamzah.

On the first charge, Lim, 65, is accused of using his position as then Penang chief minister to receive RM3.3 million in gratification for himself.

The offence was allegedly committed by helping a company owned by Zarul Ahmad secure the undersea tunnel and major roads construction project in Penang, valued at RM6,341,383,702, between January 2011 and August 2017 at the Penang Chief Minister’s Office.

The charge, framed under Section 23(1) of the MACC Act 2009, provides for a maximum jail term of 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the value of the gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

On the second charge, the Bagan Member of Parliament is accused of soliciting a 10 per cent cut of profits from Zarul Ahmad as an inducement to help the businessman’s company secure the same project.

The offence was allegedly committed near The Gardens Hotel, Lingkaran Syed Putra, Mid Valley City here between 12.30am and 2am in March 2011, under Section 16 of the MACC Act, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment or a fine of not less than five times the bribe value or RM10,000, whichever is higher.

Lim also faces two charges of causing two plots of land owned by the Penang state government, valued at RM208.8 million, to be disposed of to developer companies linked to the undersea tunnel project.

The offences were allegedly committed at the Penang Land and Mines Office, Komtar, on February 17, 2015, and March 22, 2017. The charges, under Section 403 of the Penal Code, provide for a prison sentence of between six months and five years, whipping, and a fine, upon conviction. — Bernama

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吉隆坡，10 月 27 日讯——经过五年多的审理，并传唤了 38 名证人后，控方今天结束了对涉及前槟城首席部长林冠英的 63 亿令吉海底隧道和主要道路项目贪污案的举证。

负责此案的副检察官拿督万沙哈鲁丁万拉丁向地方法庭法官阿祖拉·阿尔维表示，控方在第38位证人，即马来西亚反贪污委员会（MACC）总部高级警司祖希尔米·拉姆利（同时也是本案的调查人员）作证完毕后，将结束此案的举证。

“首先，我们衷心感谢法官阁下五年多来耐心审理此案。我在此宣布控方举证完毕，并推荐槟城市长拿督拉金德兰·安东尼（Datuk Rajendran P. Anthony）为辩方辩护，以备辩方需要时出庭辩护。”他说道。

阿祖拉随后命令控辩双方在 1 月 13 日前提交书面陈述，并定于明年 1 月 26 日和 27 日听取口头陈述。

审讯于2021年7月13日开始。传唤的主要证人包括前Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd董事拿督扎鲁·艾哈迈德·莫哈末祖基菲里（Datuk Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli）、前槟城行政议员拿督林福成、前槟城州务秘书拿督斯里法里赞达鲁斯（Datuk Seri Farizan Darus）、前旅游和文化部长拿督斯里穆罕默德纳兹里阿卜杜勒阿齐兹（Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz）和商人拿督斯里G.纳纳拉贾。

审判过程中发生了几件引人注目的事，其中包括前 Ewein Bhd 集团董事总经理 Datuk Ewe Swee Kheng 的死亡。据报道，他于 2021 年 10 月 5 日凌晨 5 点 37 分从槟城 Jalan Kelawei 的一间豪华公寓坠落身亡。

53岁的埃维是该案审判中预定出庭作证的第15名控方证人。

2021年12月16日，法院允许将Ewe的录音证词作为证据提交给Lim的审判。

在今天的诉讼中，Wan Shaharuddin 得到了副检察官 Mahadi Abdul Jumaat、Khairunnisa Hazwani Omar、Farah Yasmin Salleh 和 Julaila Jamaludin 的协助，而 Lim 则由律师 Ramkarpal Singh、RSN Rayer、Mohd Haijan Omar、Tiara Katrina Fuad 和 Asyraaf Abu Bakar Hamzah 代表。

第一项指控是，65岁的林冠英利用其担任槟城首席部长期间的职务之便，为自己谋取了330万令吉的贿赂。

据称，该罪行是通过帮助扎鲁·艾哈迈德拥有的公司在 2011 年 1 月至 2017 年 8 月期间，在槟城首席部长办公室获取价值 6,341,383,702 令吉的槟城海底隧道和主要道路建设项目而犯下的。

根据 2009 年马来西亚反贪污委员会法令第 23(1) 条提出的指控，一旦罪名成立，最高可判处 20 年监禁，并处以不少于受贿金额五倍或 10,000 令吉的罚款，以较高者为准。

第二项指控是，蒲甘​​议员被控向扎鲁尔·艾哈迈德索要 10% 的利润分成，以此诱使该商人的公司获得同一项目。

据称，该罪行于 2011 年 3 月凌晨 12 点 30 分至 2 点之间在吉隆坡谷中城 Lingkaran Syed Putra 的 The Gardens Hotel 附近发生，触犯了马来西亚反贪污委员会法令第 16 条，该条文规定最高刑罚为 20 年监禁或不少于贿赂金额五倍或 10,000 令吉的罚款，以较高者为准。

林冠英还面临两项指控，罪名是导致槟城州政府拥有的两块价值 2.088 亿令吉的土地被出售给与海底隧道项目有关的开发商公司。

据称，这些罪行发生在2015年2月17日和2017年3月22日，地点是槟城光大区的土地及矿业局。根据《刑法》第403条，一旦罪名成立，将面临六个月至五年监禁、鞭刑和罚款。——马新社

警方拘留四名缅甸男孩，此前一名老妇报案称遭到恐吓

槟城首席部长曹观友表示，开发商和土地所有者必须为巴耶特鲁邦山体滑坡致人死亡事件负责。

赛夫丁·纳苏蒂安：已向网络诈骗受害者追回1430万令吉，并阻止了1.009亿令吉的损失。