Such an odd time to call star witness in LGE trial, says Ramkarpal

 

Ramkarpal Singh said while the prosecution had the right to call witnesses as and when it liked, it was done in a questionable manner in this case.

PETALING JAYA: An MP has questioned the calling of a star witness in the Lim Guan Eng corruption trial, on the last day of the present leg of the hearing, leaving the defence without a window to question or dispute his claims.

DAP legal bureau chief Ramkarpal Singh said while the prosecution had the right to call witnesses as and when it liked, the evidence given by Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli yesterday had been left unchallenged as he was called less than an hour before the court adjourned for the day.

Zarul, a construction company boss, alleged that Lim had asked him for a 10% bribe in the Penang undersea tunnel and roads project while returning from dinner in 2011.

In response, deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin said Zarul was supposed to have been called to the witness stand first.

“We wanted Zarul to testify first. But Lim was away on MC (sick leave). I shall not comment further as Zarul has yet to finish his testimony and could be in contempt of court,” he said.

In a statement, Ramkarpal said Zarul’s testimony began at noon yesterday before being adjourned for the day shortly after. Yesterday was the last day of the current leg of the trial, which is set only to resume on March 23 next year.

He said the prosecution’s move had left the defence without a chance to challenge what Zarul had claimed, which would ultimately lead to wide speculation in the next three months while waiting for the case to resume.

“March is some three months away, and there has been talk of a possible general election being called around that time. There was no way that the defence could have put its version to Zarul yesterday as there was not enough time to cross-examine him.

“Which means all that will be speculated on in the coming months, possibly before the next general election, is Zarul’s version,” he said in a statement.

Ramkarpal said it would have been ideal if Zarul was called earlier in the week so that the defence could have thoroughly cross-examined him and challenged his claims.

He said Lim’s defence team would challenge Zarul’s credibility in the subsequent trial and have since requested a copy of his statement to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission over claims of inconsistency with what was said in court yesterday.

Lim was admitted to hospital on Sunday (Dec 12) and granted four-days’ sick leave until Dec 15. He was back in court on Thursday.

His counsel, Gobind Singh Deo, had asked that the trial continue without Lim on Monday. The court granted the request for two days.

Before Zarul’s testimony, four witnesses from Lim’s office when he was chief minister had given evidence. - FMT