We’ve been updated on probe into court rigging claim, says CJ’s aide

 

Police are investigating allegations that a senior lawyer had suggested that a court decision could be rigged.

PUTRAJAYA: Police have been updating the judiciary on an investigation into allegations that a senior lawyer had suggested that a court decision could be rigged, Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat’s office said.

“We cannot disclose any details as the matter is still under investigation,” her special officer Normastura Ayub told FMT in reply to a query whether the judiciary had asked police on the status of the report lodged.

On June 7, one of Tengku Maimun’s special officers made a report over text messages by the lawyer that could potentially bring the judiciary into disrepute.

This led to Sepang police starting the probe.

Under Section 107 of the Criminal Procedure Code, a complainant can also request for a report on the status of investigation from the officer in charge of a police station.

On Sept 29, Attorney-General Idrus Harun told FMT that police had yet to complete further investigations into the allegation.

A month earlier, Idrus said the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) had instructed police to collect more evidence after going through their investigation papers on the case.

Police are understood to have recorded statements from eight witnesses, including three lawyers and a former legal director with the Malaysian office of a foreign company.

Investigators also seized the legal director’s mobile phone and a laptop.

FMT understands that the police report disclosed that among the text messages was one to a foreign client stating that “the path is covered till the CJ”.

It is learnt that the messages were in connection with two civil appeals pending before the Court of Appeal.

Sepang district police chief Wan Kamarul Azran Wan Yusof had said the investigation was conducted under Section 233 (1) (a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act (CMA) for improper use of network facilities, as well as under the Penal Code’s Section 500 for alleged criminal defamation and Section 504 for intentional insult to provoke breach of peace.

On June 20, two prominent lawyers, Lim Chee Wee and Rosli Dahlan, lodged police reports denying any knowledge of the text messages that mentioned their names and spoke of matters that allegedly sullied the judiciary’s image. - FMT