KUALA LUMPUR: The Sessions Court allowed the prosecution's application to amend one of the corruption charges against former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng.
Judge Azura Alwi said the change would not prejudice the defence despite being made nearly six years into the trial.
The prosecution made the application last month to remove the word "received" from the first charge.
Azura said the court was satisfied that the amendment was necessary to ensure the charge was aligned with the relevant legal provisions.
"Although the amendment is made at a late stage, it will not prejudice the accused. Parties retain the right to recall any relevant witnesses arising from the amendment," she said.
The DAP adviser maintained his innocence when the amended charge was read again during the hearing today.
Defence counsel Mohd Haijan Omar and Ramkarpal Singh objected to the proposed amendment, arguing that it was significant and could affect the defence's strategy, which had consistently challenged the element of "receiving" in the charge.
Following the ruling, the trial proceeded with the testimony of prosecution witness Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) senior investigating officer Zulhilmi Ramli.
Lim is facing four charges of using his position as the then Penang chief minister to solicit gratification to help a company secure the undersea tunnel project.
He is alleged to have sought 10 per cent of the profit to be made by the company.
He is also accused of receiving RM3.3 million for himself and causing two plots of state government land to be disposed of to two companies linked to the undersea tunnel project. - NST
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