KUALA LUMPUR – A watch broker told the sessions court here today that Datuk Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli, a key prosecution witness in Lim Guan Eng’s corruption trial, purchased a luxury watch costing RM40,000 from him.
G. Rajan, 66, said he bought the Maurice Lacroix timepiece from a dealer, as requested by Zarul Ahmad.
Zarul Ahmad is a senior executive director at Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd, the main contractor for the Penang undersea tunnel project.
The fifth prosecution witness, however, said he is unable to remember the exact date the purchase was made, but believes it was between 2013 and 2015.
Rajan said this during examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin in former Penang chief minister Lim’s corruption trial involving the construction of the tunnel and paired roads project.
Explaining in detail his job as a watch broker, Rajan said he usually meets suppliers to buy the pieces that he then shows to customers.
“I bought the Maurice Lacroix watch at RM20,000, and I sold it to Zarul Ahmad for RM40,000.”
Asked about the huge price difference, he said RM20,000 was the dealer’s price, while RM40,000 was the watch’s retail price.
When cross-examined by Lim’s lawyer Gobind Singh Deo, the witness said he brought three to 10 watches to show Zarul Ahmad.
Gobind: What did he (Zarul Ahmad) do with the watches?
Rajan: Sometimes, he bought them for his staff, and sometimes, for himself.
Rajan agreed with Gobind’s suggestion that Zarul Ahmad is a watch collector.
Asked if he has ever met Lim in person, Rajan answered: “Never.”
Gobind: I put it to you that my client has nothing to do with this watch?
Rajan: I don’t know anything. I never dealt with him.
Today’s proceedings ended earlier than usual as Gobind and Lim, who are Puchong and Bagan MPs, respectively, had to attend Parliament.
According to the first amended charge, Lim, 60, is accused of using his position as the then Penang chief minister to obtain a RM3.3 million bribe for helping a company owned by Zarul Ahmad to secure the construction project worth RM6,341,383,702 between January 2011 and August 2017.
On the second amended charge, he is accused of soliciting bribes from Zarul Ahmad amounting to 10% of the profits to be earned by the company as gratification for helping the company secure the project.
Lim also faces two charges of causing two plots of land worth RM208.8 million and belonging to the Penang government to be disposed of to two firms that are linked to the undersea tunnel project, between February 2015 and March 2017.
The trial before judge Azura Alwi continues tomorrow. – Bernama, September 22, 2021
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