Trial postponed as Ku Nan files bid to recuse judge

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor’s corruption trial was adjourned yesterday to allow the prosecution to file an affidavit in reply to an application made on Wednesday by the defence that the judge recuse himself.

High Court judge Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali will hear the defence’s application today to decide on whether he should still preside over the case or to give it to another judge.

Counsel Datuk Tan Hock Chuan, who represents the former Federal Territories minister, told the court that the defence team was seeking for Justice Mohd Nazlan to recuse himself and for the case to be transferred to another High Court.

He said the application was filed after businessman Datuk Tan Eng Boon – who was to stand trial along with Tengku Adnan – took a guilty plea on Tuesday to the alternative charge of abetting Tengku Adnan to solicit a RM1mil bribe.

Following his guilty plea, Eng Boon was fined RM1.5mil fine in default of a year in jail.

Hock Chuan said that Tengku Adnan was concerned that he would not receive a fair trial as Justice Mohd Nazlan had heard the facts of the case and had also passed sentence on Eng Boon.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Julia Ibrahim told the court that as the prosecution team had only received the motion at about 4pm on Wednesday, it needed time to file a responding affidavit.

On Nov 15 last year, Tengku Adnan, 69, and Eng Boon, 71, both claimed trial to corruption charges.

Tengku Adnan, who is Putrajaya MP, was charged with receiving RM1mil from Eng Boon through a Public Bank cheque belonging to Pekan Nenas Industries Sdn Bhd that was deposited into his account.

It was alleged that the RM1mil was an inducement to approve an application by Nucleus Properties Sdn Bhd (now known as Paragon City Development Sdn Bhd) to increase the plot ratio for the development of a plot of land at Lot 228, Jalan Semarak in Kuala Lumpur.

Meanwhile, Eng Boon was originally charged with bribing Tengku Adnan with RM1mil – through a Public Bank cheque of Pekan Nenas Industries and deposited into Tengku Adnan’s account – while the latter held the office of Federal Territories minister.

The court had on Aug 9 allowed for a joint trial for Tengku Adnan and Eng Boon following an application from the prosecution.