EX-SPY CHIEF’S ARREST WARRANT REVOKED
Hasanah was not informed of case management proceedings, pleads counsel
THE High Court yesterday revoked the warrant of arrest against former Malaysian External Intelligence Office director-general Datuk Hasanah Abdul Hamid.
Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah
made the decision after hearing submissions from deputy public prosecutor Muhamad Iskandar Ahmad and Hasanah’s counsel, Datuk Shaharudin Ali.
Hasanah, clad in yellow suit, arrived at the court complex about 8.30am with her two bailors.
Shaharudin, when submitting, said his client was not informed about the date (May 24) by the defence team as it was just fixed for management of the case.
He said Hasanah offered her unconditional and unreserved apologies for not being present during the aforesaid date.
“Case management proceeding is not a trial, and there was no legal basis to issue an arrest warrant against the accused in a case management.
“There was no pressing need to seek an arrest when the accused has lawfully posted a massive bail of RM500,000.”
However, Iskandar replied that the accused’s attendance was compulsory for case management proceedings under Section 172B of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Last Friday, the court had issued a warrant of arrest against Hasanah after she failed to attend the case management proceedings.
On Saturday, Hasanah was charged with committing criminal breach of trust in her capacity as the directorgeneral of research at the Prime Minister’s Department (her official title).
She was alleged to have taken US$12.1 million (RM50.4 million) belonging to the government on April 30 and May 9 last year from her office at the Prime Minister’s Department.
The charges were filed under Section 409 of the Penal Code which carries a maximum 20 years’ jail, whipping and fine upon conviction.