The defence in former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng’s corruption case lodged a complaint with the Sessions Court in Kuala Lumpur for not allowing Lim’s family to enter the courtroom to follow proceedings.
Counsel Gobind Singh Deo, representing Lim (above, right), told Judge Azura Alwi his client’s wife, Betty Chew, a few lawyers, and supporters of the Bagan MP were barred by police from entering though they were present at previous hearings.
"Yang Arif, as can be seen, the public gallery is empty today because the police do not allow anyone, including the accused’s wife (to enter)... So, I request an order from Yang Arif because I have my officers (lawyers), who are outside, to assist me,” he said.
In response to Gobind's request, Azura said she was also subjected to an order by the court's security committee to provide a list of names of individuals who wanted to attend the trial proceedings.
"We will allow entry (into the court) according to the list of names and capacity by complying with standard operating procedures that have been set," she added.
Gobind then said the defence will provide a list of names of individuals attending the proceeding two days before the trial begins.
Meanwhile, three prosecution witnesses were called back to identify about 30 documents on the meeting minutes by the state executive council regarding the Penang undersea tunnel project.
The witnesses were Lim’s former senior private secretary Ng Wee Kok as well as former secretaries of the Penang state executive council M Maheswari and S Vijayalakchimi.
Deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin also informed the court that the 11th prosecution witness, former Penang legal adviser Faiza Zulkifli, was supposed to be called for cross-examination today.
However, he said, this had to be cancelled at the last minute because the witness was in quarantine for Covid-19.
Lim is facing an amended charge of using his position as Penang chief minister to receive RM3.3 million in bribes to help Consortium Zenith BUCG Sdn Bhd, a company belonging to Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli, to obtain the undersea tunnel project, which was valued at RM6,341,383,702.
According to the charge, the bribes were allegedly received at the Penang Chief Minister’s Office, 28th Floor, Komtar, George Town, between January 2011 and August 2017.
On the second amended charge, Lim was accused of soliciting bribes amounting to 10 percent of the profits of the company from Zarul Ahmad as gratification for getting the project.
The offence was allegedly committed near The Garden Hotels, Lingkaran Syed Putra, Mid Valley City, Kuala Lumpur in March 2011.
Lim, who is also former DAP secretary-general, also faces two charges of causing two plots of land, worth RM208.8 million, belonging to the Penang government, to be disposed to two companies linked to the tunnel project.
The offence was allegedly committed at the Penang Land and Mines Office, Komtar, on Feb 17, 2015, and March 22, 2017.
The hearing before Azura continues on May 26.
- Bernama
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