THE Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has withdrawn its application to obtain documents from two lawyers suspected of accepting bribes and receiving proceeds from unlawful activities in the settlement between the Malaysian government and Ambank and Goldman Sachs in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) case.
The MACC, via two letters dated November 29 sent to the court, said it had no intention of continuing with the bid and requested a new date for case management.
A check by the media found the case was set for mention on Wednesday.
On October 11, the MACC filed two applications at the High Court to obtain documents from the two lawyers – Chetan Jethwani and his law firm, Chetan Jethwani & Co, and Rosli Dahlan and Rosli Dahlan Saravana Partnership.
Chetan is the lawyer for Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin in a civil case, while Rosli represented the former prime minister in a case related to the Jana Wibawa project.
The MACC requested the respondents submit 10 documents, including their letters of appointment as lawyers for Goldman Sachs (Chetan) and 1MDB (Rosli), their bank account statements and the bank account statements of their companies.
MACC contended the documents were needed to identify the roles and actions of the two lawyers, who were suspected of conspiring with Goldman Sachs and the parties concerned in the 1MDB settlement process.
In an affidavit supporting the notice for the motion, MACC investigating officer Mohamad Sabri Mohd Latif said the two lawyers were being investigated under section 17(a) of the MACC Act 2009 and section 4(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds From Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
On November 3, Rosli, in applying to strike MACC’s bid, said the agency did not have the legal position or locus standi to obtain the documents. – Bernama, December 4, 2023.
