The first day of the RM2.8 million corruption trial of Umno supreme council member Bung Moktar Radin and his wife kicked off today with a Federal Territory Islamic Religious Department (Jawi) marriage registrar confirming the duo's married status.
First prosecution witness, Jawi Marriage and Family Development assistant director Mohd Abd Nasir Abdullah, testified before the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court this morning, that Kinabatangan MP Bung, 60, and former actress Zizie Izette A Samad, 41, got married on June 9, 2010.
Nasir was confirming the authenticity of the marriage certificate, issued under Islamic Family Law (Federal Territories) Act 1984, which was referred to him by DPP Mohamad Fadhly Mohd Zamry during examination-in-chief today.
During the course of the trial this morning, counsel M Athimulan and K Kumaraendran, who acted for Bung and Zizie respectively, informed judge Rozina Ayob that the defence will not subject the witness to any cross-examination.
“Referring to the marriage certificate (surat perakuan nikah) above (when presented to him by Fadhly), I affirm that Moktar Radin (Bung) is the aforementioned name of the groom with his bride named Zizie.
“In reference to this marriage certificate, I confirm that Bung married Zizie on June 9, 2010, which equals (the Islamic calendar) 26 Jamadilakhir 1431,” Nasir (below) testified.
The Jawi senior officer confirmed that Zizie’s elder brother Samzy Fuzette Abd Samad, 57, acted as the "wali" (Islamic legal guardian) in the marriage between the duo and that the marriage was witnessed by Shari Ahmad, 63, and Ahmad Shahazami Abd Samad, 57.
Nasir certified the validity of the signature on the marriage certificate, which bore the signature of Jawi Marriage, Divorce and Ruju’ (Ruju’ refers to a situation where a husband wished to take back his wife following divorce) registrar Mohd Zainudin Wan Yusoff.
The witness also confirmed the accused duo’s marriage by affirming the authenticity of a copy of a Syariah High Court Order in relation to their marriage, which was issued on June 28, 2010.
“I confirm that I have been referred and have seen this document, which is the order issued by the Syariah High Court of the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, between Applicant 1, who is Zizie, and Applicant 2 Bung before Mohd Radzi Abd Latif, who is the senior Syariah High Court judge for the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, on June 11, 2010 (date of court order)."
Earlier during today's proceedings, Fadhly sought for amended charges to be read to Bung and Zizie, to which the duo’s counsel raised no objection.
The only amendment in the charges was to substitute the word “upah” (reward) to “dorongan” (inducement) in relation to Bung’s alleged purpose for receiving the total RM2.8 million in bribes. Zizie was charged with abetting her husband to obtain the said bribes.
After the amended charges were read out to the duo, Bung and Zizie indicated they understood the amended charges and maintained their non-guilty plea.
The trial will resume before Rozina at 9am tomorrow with the testimony of the second prosecution witness, Azlan Yusof, who is a member of Felcra’s board of directors.
In the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court on May 3 last year, Bung pleaded not guilty to three charges of receiving RM2.8 million in bribes for obtaining approval for Felcra to make a RM150 million investment in Public Mutual's unit trust products.
According to the first charge, Bung, then the non-executive chairperson of Felcra, was alleged to have taken a bribe of RM2.2 million in cash from Public Mutual's investment agent, Madhi Abdul Hamid, 38, through Zizie.
He was alleged to have committed the act as an inducement for obtaining approval from the minister of finance II for Felcra to make a RM150 million investment in Public Mutual unit trust products.
The offence was allegedly committed at Public Bank Bhd, Taman Melawati Branch, No 262-265, Jalan Bandar 12, Taman Melawati, Kuala Lumpur, between 12.30pm and 5pm on June 12, 2015.
For the second charge, Bung is alleged to have taken for himself a bribe of RM262,500 in cash from Madhi through an account of the bank’s investment product Public Islamic Treasures Growth Fund (PITGF) numbered 044797816 and registered under the name of Zizie for the same purpose.
Bung was also purported to have taken for himself a bribe of RM337,500 from Public Mutual's investment agent, Norhaili Ahmad Mokhtar, 42, through a Public Ittikal Sequel Fund (Pitseq) account numbered 044797824, registered under the name of Zizie, for the same purpose.
Both offences were allegedly committed at the same location at 12.16pm and 12.28pm, on June 19, 2015.
The charges are framed under Subsection 17(a) of the MACC Act and punishable under Section 24(1) of the same Act, which provides for imprisonment of not more than 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher.
Zizie claimed trial to three counts of abetting her husband on the same offences, at the same place, date and time under Section 28(1)(c) of the MACC Act, which is punishable under Subsection 24(1) of the Act with imprisonment of not more than 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher. - Mkini
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