Peter released after eight-day remand
KOTA KINABALU: Parti Warisan Sabah vice president Datuk Peter Anthony was released yesterday after being held for eight days by the Malaysia Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) for investigation into the alleged purchase of an oil palm plantation worth about RM155 million in the Tongod district.
Magistrate Afiq Agoes set bail at RM55,000 with one local surety.
Anthony arrived at the Kota Kinabalu Court with his lawyer, Martin Tommy, and a group of supporters at 9.40am.
MACC prosecuting officer Mohd Faliq Basiruddin when met outside the Magistrate’s court said MACC was currently looking for another individual it believed could assist in its investigation.
Anthony was first detained by MACC on Jan 5 to facilitate investigation into the purchase of an oil palm plantation worth about RM155 million in the Tongod district involving Risda.
He was ordered by the Magistrate’s Court to be remanded for three days beginning Jan 6, and the remand extended by five days on Jan 8.
Anthony, who is a key ally of Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, has been under probe in connection with investigations into alleged siphoning of funds for Sabah rural projects that were channelled through the Rural and Regional Development Ministry when it was headed by Shafie as minister between 2010 and 2016.
On Jan 3, MACC deputy chief commissioner Datuk Seri Azam Baki said that Anthony and lawyer Michael Persius Ubu, 61, were needed in its investigation into a land deal that was not related to previous cases being investigated.
Michael has not presented himself to the commissioner as he is believed to be overseas.
It is believed that the aborted Tongod land deal was investigated by the police a few years ago and Anthony was cleared by the police then.
It is also learned that Risda, under the Rural and Regional Development Ministry, had appointed a legal firm in the purchase of the land in Tongod but abandoned it as it involved native customary land.
However, Risda is said to be unable to get back a 10 percent deposit or some RM15 million from the legal firm concerned.