KUALA LUMPUR – Bersatu’s Tasek Gelugor MP Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan was late to his Jana Wibawa graft trial this morning, citing the morning traffic jam, but received little sympathy from the sessions court judge.
The former Bersatu information chief said he left his home at 7.15am, but did not anticipate the traffic jam would be bad today, resulting in him taking two hours to reach the courthouse.
An unamused judge Rozina Ayob told him to be more mindful of his punctuality, hoping that today’s blunder would be his “first and last time”.
Defence lawyer Datuk Rosal Azimin Ahmad said Wan Saiful is set to submit a representation letter to the Attorney-General’s Chambers to review his charge of soliciting and accepting bribes involving the Jana Wibawa scheme.
When met outside the courtroom, Rosal said no decisions have been finalised on the letter, as the defence is still waiting for the prosecution to send in documents related to the case.
Deputy public prosecutor Mohd Afif Ali told the court that the prosecution had already submitted a part of the documents to the defence team today, under Section 51A of the Criminal Procedure Code.
He added they will need more time to obtain the remaining documents from the bank.
The next hearing is set to be on May 8.
Wan Saiful was charged with soliciting and receiving bribes worth RM6.9 million to help a private firm secure a central spine road government contract, worth RM232 million, in 2022. – The Vibes, March 22, 2023