KUALA LUMPUR: The case involving former Research Division director-general in the Prime Minister’s Department (JPM), Datuk Hasanah Abdul Hamid, who is charged with criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving US$12.1 million (about RM50 million) belonging to the Malaysian government will be heard at the sessions court.
This came after deputy public prosecutor Muhamad Iskandar Ahmad, informed High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali that the prosecution was withdrawing its application to transfer the case to the High Court following instruction from the Attorney-General’s Chambers.
Following which, Mohd Nazlan dismissed the prosecution’s application.
Earlier, Muhamad Iskandar informed the court that on Jan 4, he received a voice message sent through WhatsApp from Hasanah’s lawyer, Datuk Shaharudin Ali, requesting the prosecution to withdraw the application to transfer the case to the High Court.
He also said that on Nov 29 last year, the defence informed the court that they would file a notice of motion to transfer the case to the High Court.
“On last Jan 2, the prosecution filed the application and the following day (Jan 3), before Sessions Court judge Rozina Ayob, the defence said they had no objection, but yesterday, I received a message saying that they (defence ) objected to it.
“Suddenly the (defence) made a U-turn and said their client’s case only involved CBT. What would be sessions court judge perception of the action by the defence when the case goes back to the (sessions) court. We (prosecution) are not happy with this,” said Muhamad Iskandar.
Meanwhile, Shaharudin admitted to making the U-turn.
“It is not a problem if my client changed her mind after discussing the matter with her lawyer. The case involving my client is only for CBT and does not involve the country’s security, such as sabotage or espionage,” he added.
The sessions court had set Feb 21 to mention the case.
On Oct 25 last year, Hasanah, 61, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
She was charged in her capacity as a civil servant, with committing the offence at the office of the Director-General, Research Division, Prime Minister’s Department (JPM), Kompleks JPM, Federal Government’s Administrative Centre, Putrajaya, between April 30 and May 9, 2018. — Bernama
