Retired cop says ex-DPP, now a judge, behind corruption charge

Former commercial crime investigation department director says he did not mention in his witness statement who from MACC conspired with his then boss, former Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan, to fix him. – The Malaysian Insider filepic, May 28, 2015.Former commercial crime investigation department (CCID) director Datuk Ramli Yusuf today revealed that former deputy public prosecutor Datuk Nordin Hassan was responsible for his corruption prosecution in 2007.

Ramli said he did not mention in his witness statement who from the Anti-Corruption Agency had conspired with his then boss, former Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan, to fix him.

The anti-graft body was only known as the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in 2009.

"It is Nordin Hassan although I did not personally refer to him in my witness statement," he said when cross-examined by lawyer Tan Sri Cecil Abraham in a RM20 million suit brought by lawyer Rosli Dahlan against the MACC.

Ramli, who is a witness for Rosli, said that was the reason he included Nordin as a defendant in a RM128.5 million suit for malicious prosecution in 2011.

The 10 defendants in Ramli's suit include Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail and Musa.

Nordin, then from the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC), was seconded to the MACC where he was the head of prosecution.

He is now a judicial commissioner in a Penang High Court.

In 2009, Ramli was acquitted by a Sessions Court of three counts of failing to disclose information on the ownership of shares in Telekom Malaysia Bhd, Permaju Industries Bhd and two office lots worth RM1.032 million.

Rosli, a close friend of Ramli, is suing MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed, his officers and the government for conspiracy to injure his reputation, assault and false imprisonment.

Rosli also filed a defamation suit against Abu Kassim.

Ramli told the court today that MACC first charged Rosli in 2007 to prevent the lawyer from helping him.

"I was the prime suspect but they targeted him. This was to prevent Rosli from helping me."

He said Rosli suffered collateral damage and became a victim of MACC and the prosecution because he had earlier assisted him (Ramli) in preparing affidavits in response to a habeas corpus application filed by Goh Cheng Poh, an underworld kingpin.

Underworld kingpin Goh, or better known as Tengku Goh from Johor was detained by police for his alleged involvement in gambling and money laundering.

Yesterday, Ramli told the court that the AGC refused to prepare affidavits for him and his officers to oppose Goh's application.

Instead he was given short notice to get the documents ready, but Rosli and another lawyer C. Vijaya Kumar assisted him in preparing five affidavits to be handed over to the AGC.

Ramli, under cross examination, said Gani had called him to his office to discuss Goh's matter and at the meeting, then deputy IGP Tan Sri Mohd Najib Abdul Aziz and then head of prosecution in the AGC, Datuk Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden were also present.

He said at the meeting he was asked to deliver a file that contained confidential information about informants who provided statements against Goh.

"The deputy IGP instructed me to hand over the file to the AGC and I did under protest because only the home minister could have access to such a document," he said.

Ramli said he later learnt that the file was handed to MACC on the instruction of Gani.

He said Gani and Musa obtained a statement from a criminal, Moo Sai Chin, that led the MACC to issue a notice to declare his assets and later charge him with corruption.

Re-examined by Rosli's counsel Chetan Jethwani, Ramli said he protested the file being handed over to the AGC because it was highly confidential and only the case file officer was privy to its contents.

"That is the reason why I protested because informants will lose trust in the police and will not offer information."

Ramli also said as a result of Musa and Gani's collusion to remove him from the police hierarchy and the corruption charge, he was denied promotions.

He said the Police Force Commission in 2006 identified him to be a potential candidate for the post of IGP.

"Commission member and former IGP, the late Tan Sri Mohd Bakri Omar informed me that my name had been proposed to the King," he said.

Ramli said another commission member and former deputy IGP, the late Tan Sri Mohd Sedek Mohd Ali, also told him that the authorities were vetting his background before a promotion.

Ramli, who was CCID director between May 2, 2006 and November 11, 2007, was interdicted following the corruption charge. He retired on March 1, 2008.

The hearing before judge Datuk Su Geok Yiam was adjourned to June 8.

- TMI