THE Special Corruption Court in Kota Kinabalu has fixed 23 September for pre-trial case management involving two Sabah assemblymen and a businessman facing graft charges linked to mineral prospecting licence applications.
Datuk Dr Yusof Yacob, the Sindumin assemblyman, and Datuk Andi Muhammad Suryady Bandy, the assemblyman for Tanjung Batu, were present in court on Tuesday and stood in the dock as proceedings commenced.
The same date was also set for businessman Datuk Tei Jiann Cheing — better known as Albert Tei — who attended the session virtually from a designated courtroom.
The date was agreed upon to allow the prosecution to submit several additional documents, including forensic reports, telecommunications records, and immigration-related materials.
Dr Yusof, 69, was previously charged on 30 June with accepting RM200,000 in cash from Tei as an inducement to facilitate a mineral prospecting licence application for a company operating in Sabah.
He pleaded not guilty to the charge, framed under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 (Act 694), which carries a penalty under Section 24(1) of the same Act.
Andi Muhammad Suryady, 44, who serves as Sabah’s Assistant Minister of Industrial Development and Entrepreneurship, was also charged with receiving RM150,000 from Tei for a similar purpose. He, too, pleaded not guilty.
Tei faces two separate counts of bribery: one for allegedly giving RM200,000 to Dr Yusof, and the other involving RM150,000 to Andi. He has denied both charges.
The prosecution is being led by MACC Deputy Public Prosecutors Nurul Izzati Sapifee and Rustam Sanip.
Andi is represented by a legal team comprising Datuk Ram Singh, Rizwandean Bukhary M Borhan, Datin Jaharah Patimbangi, Elhanan James, Shahlan Jufri, Mohd Luqman Syazwan Zabidi Md Zain, Kamarudin Mohmad Chinki, and Prem Elmer Ganasan. The same team, except Jaharah, is also representing Dr Yusof.
Tei is represented by Edward Paul, Batholomew Jingulam, and Jul Hamri Jumhani.
The case is being presided over by Sessions Court Judge Jason Juga. - August 5, 2025
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