Mat Sabu’s former aide freed of bribery charges involving RM6.48 million

KUALA LUMPUR: The Sessions Court here has acquitted and discharged a former political secretary to former defence minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu of seven charges of soliciting and accepting bribes amounting to RM6.48 million from a contractor company to secure defence ministry projects.

Lawyer Haijan Omar, representing Mohd Azhar Che Mat Dali, said Judge Rozina Ayob made the decision at the prosecution stage proceedings on Jan 12.

“I confirm that the court acquitted and discharged my client from the seven charges. That’s all I can confirm,” he said when contacted yesterday.

The case was handled by deputy public prosecutor Mahadi Jumaat.

On Oct 15, 2020, Mohd Azhar claimed trial to a charge of soliciting a bribe of RM5 million from FEHM Entity Sdn Bhd managing director Elias Jemadi Tajudin to help select the company as a strategic partner and maintenance contractor for the intelligence equipment of the Ministry of Defence.

He allegedly committed the offence at a hotel in Jalan Ampang, Kampung Baru here on July 22, 2019.

Mohd Azhar was also slapped with four other counts of accepting bribes amounting to RM1.35 million from Elias Jemadi through Ikaira Resources director Zainudin Abdul Majid and Aqsa Solutions Sdn Bhd director Ahmad Hisham Mohd Tajuddin for the same reason.

The offences were allegedly committed in several locations around Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, including the parking lot of the official residence of the Minister of Defence here between September 2019 and February 2020.

In the Shah Alam Sessions Court on Oct 23, 2020, Mohd Azhar pleaded not guilty to another two counts of accepting bribes of RM130,000 from Elias Jemadi and Zainudin for the same purpose at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, and in Kota Damansara in Petaling Jaya in 2019.

All charges were brought under Section 16(a)(B) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, which carries a maximum jail sentence of 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount or value of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

The seven charges were tried together in the Sessions Court here.