Ex-Sabah minister seeks to quash conviction, jail term over forgery

Former Sabah infrastructure and development minister Peter Anthony has gone up to the Court of Appeal to overturn his conviction as well as a three-year jail sentence over a forged document case linked to a system maintenance contract.

The appellant’s counsel S Devanandan confirmed with the media that the notice of appeal was filed yesterday and that copies have been served on the prosecution.

The Court of Appeal is Peter’s final avenue of appeal after previously losing at both the Sessions and High Court levels.

On May 26 last year, the Sessions Court in Kuala Lumpur convicted and sentenced him to jail as well as a RM50,000 fine over the forgery case involving a letter from Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) deputy vice-chancellor’s office.

According to the charge framed under Section 468 of the Penal Code, the then-managing director of Syarikat Asli Jati was accused of forging the letter dated June 9, 2014, by inserting a false statement with the intent of using it for fraudulent purposes.

Correct finding

Peter (above) allegedly committed the offence at the office of the principal private secretary to the prime minister at the Perdana Putra building, Putrajaya, between June 13 and Aug 21, 2014. Conviction provides for imprisonment of up to seven years and a fine.

While having paid the fine, the Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (KDM) president then appealed to the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.

However, two days ago, High Court judge Ahmad Bache denied the appeal and upheld the guilty verdict as well as sentencing.

Ahmad ruled that the Sessions Court judge had made the correct finding in the case against the 52-year-old appellant, due to the strength of the prosecution witnesses' testimony.

The judge pointed out that the gist of Peter’s defence during the trial was bare denial and mere afterthought, adding that the jail sentence and fine were not manifestly excessive.

However, there is a court order staying execution of the conviction and sentence, pending disposal of Peter’s appeal at the appellate court. - Mkini