KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Infrastructure Development Minister Peter Anthony appeared for the second time in court today where he was charged with abetting in the Risda land deal.
The Melalap assemblyman, who also faces five counts of money laundering amounting to RM8.75 million, pleaded not guilty to abetting Micheal Persius Ubu, the lawyer hired by Risda to see through the purchase of a plot of land in Tongod, in interior Sabah.
The case involves RM15,545,400 worth of funds from the federal agency said to have been used to acquire over 6,768 acres of land in Kampung Sungai Pinangah and Kampung Sungai Laban.
Anthony was accused of committing the offence between July 22, 2014 and Nov 19, 2015 at Ubu’s law firm near Beverly Hills Plaza in Jalan Bundusan, Penampang.
Ubu meanwhile has been charged with two counts of money laundering amounting to more than RM3.9 million as well as criminal breach of trust (CBT).
Anthony was charged with CBT and aiding and abetting under Sections 109 and 409 of the Penal Code.
Sessions Court judge Abu Bakar Manat allowed the deputy public prosecutor’s request for the men to be tried in a joint trial.
He also allowed the request for Anthony’s money laundering charges to be heard together with his CBT charge.
Their cases will be mentioned on Aug 4.
Those present at court in a show of support for Anthony included Tongod assemblyman Masiung Banah, Sabah Assistant Education and Wellbeing Minister Jenifer Lasimbang, Sri Tanjong assemblyman Ben Chu and Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department Arifin Asgali.
Over 100 supporters also gathered at the court complex amid tight police security.
Anthony, an NGO leader turned politician, was remanded twice for corruption charges in January 2018 ahead of the May 9 general election.
He was represented today by Dominic Chew. The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission meanwhile was represented by deputy public prosecutor Mohd Fadhly Mohamad Zamry. - FMT
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