KUALA LUMPUR – After two amended charges, former finance minister Lim Guan Eng today pleaded not guilty, and will stand trial in June in a graft case involving the RM6.34 billion Penang undersea tunnel project.
The Star reported that Sessions Court judge Azura Alwi today fixed several dates between June and December, starting June 8, to hear the case.
Outside the courthouse, Lim told the media that it is a politically motivated case because there is not a single recording of him soliciting bribes.
“There is no evidence of such money in my bank accounts. How is it possible in a corruption case that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission did not ask me where the money went?
“This is a baseless allegation aimed at tarnishing my good name, and serves as political revenge. I will leave it to be proven in court that I am innocent.”
The first amended charge is for soliciting gratification to help a company secure the tunnel project in his capacity as then chief minister.
On August 7, Lim was charged in his capacity as chief minister with corruptly soliciting gratification to help the firm secure the project.
He allegedly sought 10% of the profits to be made by the company from its owner, Datuk Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli, here in March 2011.
The second amended charge is for receiving RM3.3 million as an inducement to help Zarul’s company get the project.
Lim allegedly received the bribe at the chief minister’s office at Komtar in Penang between January 2011 and August 2017.
Both charges are punishable under Section 24(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, which carries up to 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of not less than RM100,000, or five times the value of the gratification, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
The prosecution was led by deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin.
Lim was represented by lawyer Gobind Singh Deo.
“The defence was given hundreds of pages of documents today,” Gobind told the press.
“We will see you during the trial in June.” – The Vibes, December 21, 2020
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