Prosecution star witness does an about-turn

2009/10/22

By Jaspal Singh

IPOH: Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi, a former state executive councillor accused of corruption, did not take any bribes for the purpose of approving a proposed housing development project in Pusat Bandar Seri Iskandar last year, a witness testified yesterday.

In fact, Jamaluddin (now an independent assemblyman after leaving Pakatan Rakyat early this year) had never asked for money at any point regarding the project, said the prosecution's star witness, Mohd Imran Abdullah.

Imran also admitted that the former exco member did not discuss the project with him when he met Jamaluddin at his office in the Perak State Secretariat building.

Imran yesterday admitted in the Sessions Court that the evidence he gave during examination-in-chief last week contradicted the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) report he had lodged detailing his meeting with Jamaluddin.

In his MACC report dated Aug 14 last year, the same day he had met the former exco member, Imran stated that Jamaluddin had discussed the proposed housing development project, had asked for RM5,000 from him, and had taken RM5,000 from him.

During cross-examination by counsel Mohd Roni Abdul Rahman yesterday, Imran admitted that neither his testimony during examination-in-chief nor the video recording of his meeting with Jamaluddin at the latter's office was consistent with his written MACC report.

"I agree that the statements I made in the (MACC) report are not true," he answered calmly when questioned by Roni.

Roni is acting for Jamaluddin and Mohd Osman Mohd Jailu, another former PR exco member- turned-independent.

Jamaluddin and Osman, together with former Perak Tengah district councillors, Usaili Alias and Zul Hassan and contractor Fairul Azrim, are charged with accepting bribes of between RM400 and RM100,000 between Aug 6 and 19 last year, and sexual favours from women arranged by Imran as an incentive to obtain a development project in Pusat Bandar Seri Iskandar, about 45km southwest of here.

Charges against Ruslan Sahat, a technician with the Perak State Development Corporation, were dropped after his death on Aug 3.

Imran, during cross-examination, also said Osman and Ruslan were not with him when he met Jamaluddin, and that only Usaili, Jamaluddin, and MACC's undercover agent Norliza Yusof were with him.

He admitted he had wrongly stated in the report that Osman and Ruslan were present during the meeting in Jamaluddin's office.

When pointed out that he stated in his report that Usaili had asked for money, the 34-year-old car salesman said the statement was inconsistent with his testimony.

Imran said Jamaluddin had never called him either before or after the meeting, adding that the first time he met and spoke to Jamaluddin was on Aug 14.

Hearing continues today.

On Tuesday, Jamaluddin (independent-Behrang) and Mohd Osman (independent-Changkat Jering) applied for a three-day adjournment of the proceedings to enable them to attend the Perak state assembly sitting which begins next Wednesday.

Sessions judge Azhaniz Teh Azman Teh indicated that he may allow the two to attend the assembly sitting.

"I think I have to allow it," he said, short of giving a definite answer to the application.