The Corruption Court in Kota Kinabalu on Tuesday allowed Sindumin assemblyperson Yusof Yaacob and Tanjung Batu assemblyperson Andi Suryady Bandy to temporarily reclaim their passports for overseas travel.
Both men, who are on trial for receiving bribes totalling RM350,000, had sought the return of their passports for four months, citing work commitments as lawmakers and, in Yusof’s case, his role in government-linked companies.
Yusof (above, right) is the chairperson of the Qhazanah Sabah Bhd, while Andi is a state assistant minister.
Judge Jason Juga granted the request on condition that they keep investigating officers informed of their travel plans.
“The accused will have their passports returned on or before Jan 23, 2026,” he said.
In a separate application, Jason dismissed a bid for a gag order.
“I will not grant any order as long as it does not affect the process of this trial,” said Jason.
When making the application, Yusof and Andi's lawyer Ram Singh argued that remarks made after an earlier hearing, as well as a planned press conference by deputy public prosecutor Albert Chin, risked humiliating the accused and prejudicing the proceedings.
The judge set Oct 21 for the next mention for both politicians.
Albert’s restricted entry into Sabah
The court today also heard about Sabah immigration restricting entry for businessperson Albert Tei - who is accused of bribing Yusof and Andi.
Tei’s counsel, Edward Paul, told the court that the businessperson had been barred from entering Sabah since August and was only allowed entry on Monday because of his court appearance.
“This restriction affects his right to a proper defence. He needs to come to Sabah not only for trial dates but also to consult with us as his lawyers in preparation for his case,” he said.
Edward also sought clarification from the prosecution on whether Tei’s limited entry was confined strictly to attending hearings or could also extend to pre-trial meetings with counsel.
Deputy public prosecutor Rustam Sanip responded that while such restrictions were beyond the MACC’s control, the prosecution was prepared to liaise with the relevant agencies to facilitate Tei’s legal access to Sabah.
The judge fixed Oct 24 for the next mention of Tei’s case.
Joint charge
On June 30, Yusof, 69, Andi, 44, and Tei, 37, were jointly charged at the Corruption Court over alleged cash payments linked to mineral prospecting licence applications.
According to charge sheets, Yusof allegedly accepted RM200,000 in cash from Tei at a Kota Kinabalu hotel on March 6, 2023, while Andi is accused of receiving RM150,000 in cash from Tei on May 12, 2023, outside his residence.
Tei is facing charges of offering bribes to both assemblypersons under Section 16(b)(A) of the MACC Act 2009.
All three pleaded not guilty. Under the provision, they face up to 20 years in prison and fines of not less than five times the bribe amount or RM10,000, whichever is higher.
Rustam prosecuted, while Yusof and Andi were represented by Ram Singh and his team.
Aside from Edward, Bartholomew Jingulam and Jul Hamri Junhani also appeared for Tei. - Mkini
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