KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 15 (Bernama) -- The High Court today acquitted and discharged former Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin of one charge of using his position to obtain a RM200 million bribe and three money laundering charges involving the same amount.
Judge Noor Ruwena Md Nurdin made the ruling after deputy public prosecutor Datuk Ahmad Akram Gharib told the court that the prosecution had decided to discontinue the case against Muhyiddin, 79, involving Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd.
However, the Pagoh MP still faces three charges of abuse of position involving RM25.3 million in bribes.
Earlier, Wan Shaharuddin told Judge Ruwena that Ahmad Akram had a matter to raise before the court.
The matter arose while a prosecution witness was still on the stand.
Ahmad Akram then sought an order for a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) on the four charges, after reviewing the overall position of the case.
"The prosecution has decided not to proceed with the first charge (using his position) and the three money laundering charges involving Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd," said Ahmad Akram.
Lawyer Datuk Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, representing Muhyiddin, urged the court to exercise its discretion under Section 254(3) to grant a discharge amounting to an acquittal (DNA).
He said the witness list did not include Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary and representatives from Bukhary Equity, even though they were said to be key witnesses for the four charges.
"No strong grounds have been raised by the prosecution as to why it is seeking a DNAA. The law is very clear that strong grounds must be given. Otherwise, the court has no choice but to grant a discharge amounting to an acquittal.
"Therefore, based on those authorities and the grounds we have raised, the appropriate order in the interest of fairness and justice is for Tan Sri Muhyiddin to be discharged and acquitted of all four charges," said the lawyer.
Muhyiddin is now being tried on three charges of using his position to obtain RM25.3 million in bribes for Berstau from Nepturis Sdn Bhd, Mamfor Sdn Bhd and KCJ Engineering Sdn Bhd, as well as KCJ Engineering director Datuk Seri Azman Yusoff, in connection with the same project.
The acts were allegedly committed at the Prime Minister's Office in Bangunan Perdana Putra, Putrajaya, between March 1, 2020 and Aug 20, 2021.
The offence, under Section 23(1) of the MACC Act 2009, is punishable by a maximum penalty of 20 years' imprisonment and a fine of five times the value of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
-- BERNAMA