Broker sold watch to director linked to undersea tunnel project, court hears

A watch broker testified that he sold a RM40,000 luxury watch to a key prosecution witness in the Penang Undersea Tunnel project corruption case, the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court heard today.

Fifth prosecution witness G Rajan gave oral evidence that he sold the watch to Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli, a senior executive director of Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd. The company was the main contractor for the project.

However during the corruption trial of Lim Guan Eng linked to the project, Rajan also testified that he had never met the former Penang chief minister and that he does not know what the watch transaction has to do with the case.

Deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin called Rajan who, during examination-in-chief, testified that he sold the watch to Zarul between 2013 and 2015.The 66-year-old witness said that he had gone to a dealer to buy the luxury watch for RM20,000, then sold the watch to Zarul for RM40,000.

Rajan said that Zarul, to whom he was introduced by a mutual acquaintance 10 years ago, had asked the former between 2015 and 2016 to get a Maurice Lacroix watch for the latter (Zarul).

Wan Shaharuddin: How much did you buy (the watch) from the dealer?

Rajan: RM20,000.

Wan Shaharuddin: How much did you receive from Zarul?

Rajan: RM40,000.

When the DPP asked why there was such a vast (price) differential, Rajan explained that in his line of work, when dealing with luxury products like the watch, such markups happen.

Later during cross-examination by Lim’s lead defence counsel Gobind Singh Deo, Rajan explained that he was told by Zarul that sometimes the company director bought watches for his (Zarul) staff and sometimes for himself.

Former finance minister Lim Guan Eng with his lawyer Gobind Singh Deo arriving at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court

The witness also agreed with Gobind that the former had never met Lim or had any dealing with the accused.

Gobind: You have never met Lim Guan Eng?

Rajan: No, sir. Never.

Gobind: I put it to you that my client has nothing to do with the watch?

Rajan: I do not know anything. I did not have any dealing with him (Lim).

The proceedings then adjourned as Lim and Gobind, who are MPs for Bagan and Puchong respectively, needed to attend an important proceeding at Parliament this afternoon.

The trial before judge Azura Alwi will resume tomorrow morning.

Four graft charges

Lim is facing four graft charges in the Sessions Court.

One charge, framed under Section 16(A)(a) and Section 23 of the MACC Act, accuses him of using his position as then Penang chief minister for the gratification of RM3.3 million as inducement for helping a company belonging to Zarul to secure the island state’s RM6.3 billion undersea tunnel project.

The offence was allegedly perpetrated at the Penang Chief Minister's Office, 28th Floor, Komtar, George Town, Penang, between January 2011 and August 2017.

Under Section 23(1) of the MACC Act, the offence is punishable with imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine not less than five times the value of the gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher.

The second charge, also under Section 16(A)(a), accused Lim, in his capacity as the then Penang chief minister, to have solicited from Zarul bribes amounting to 10 percent of the profits to be earned by the company as gratification for helping secure the project.

The offence was allegedly committed near The Gardens Hotel, Lingkaran Syed Putra, Mid Valley City, Kuala Lumpur, between 12.30am and 2am in March 2011.

The charge, framed under Section 16 of the MACC Act, provides for imprisonment for up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the value of the gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher.

The DAP secretary-general also faces two counts of causing two plots of land, worth RM208.8 million and belonging to the Penang government, to be disposed off to two companies allegedly linked to the undersea tunnel project.

The two charges, framed under Section 403 of the Penal Code, carry imprisonment of up to five years, whipping, and a fine.

The offences were allegedly committed at the Penang Land and Mines Office, Level 21, Komtar, between Feb 17, 2015, and March 22, 2017. - Mkini