KUALA LUMPUR: DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng alleged that prosecution witnesses were being untruthful when they testified in his corruption trial involving Penang Undersea Tunnel project.
Lim's lead defence counsel Gobind Singh Deo contended that Constortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd (CZCSB) director Datuk Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli and his two subordinates, Ibrahim Sahari and Azli Adam, had given contradicting statements in court.
Gobind alleged the trio were lying when they gave their evidence on the RM2 million bribes purportedly for the Bagan member of parliament.
He said the trio had been called to testify in the Shah Alam Sessions Court in relation to RM19 million cheating case against businessman Datuk Seri G. Gnanaraja.
He said the witnesses, when testifying in Shah Alam Sessions Court said the RM2 million in cash was not meant for Lim.
"However, here (in Lim's trial) they said otherwise.
"I would like to play videos of the testimonies at Shah Alam court here," he said before Judge Azura Alwi.
He also urged the prosecution to produce a Whatsapp conversation between Zarul and Gnanaraja used in Shah Alam's trial to prove the defence contention about the issue.
Zarul in his testimony said he gave Lim RM2 million in cash through a middleman known as Gnanaraja.
He said the monies were given to Gnanaraja in two separate sports bags near the Eastin Hotel and were put in the latter's Bentley.
Zarul said a middleman was used as he was under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC)'s radar at that time.
Gnanaraja, who purportedly has a close connection to the then prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak could put a stop to a probe on the controversial project.
Meanwhile, Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin objected to Gobind's application to play the recording saying it was an attempt by the defence to discredit the witnesses.
Wan Shaharuddin also stressed that the Whatsapp conversation (used in Shah Alam's trial) was not relevant in Lim's trial.
Gobind who was not amused with the DPP's reply, accused the prosecution of trying to delay the hearing despite a court order issued in September last year.
"My learned friend here told us to make an application... Why should we make an application when there is an order?" he said.
On Sept 29, Azura ordered MACC forensics department investigating officer Wan Mohd Firdaus Wan Yusof, to provide details of the MACC officer who had prepared the report used in the Shah Alam trial.
The court then suggested Firdaus to bring the report to court tomorrow.
Lim is facing four charges of using his position as the then chief minister to solicit gratification to help Zarul's company secure the tunnel project.
He is alleged to have sought 10 per cent of the profit to be made by the company from Zarul.
He is also accused of receiving RM3.3 million for himself and causing two plots of land belonging to the state government to be disposed of to two companies linked to the tunnel project.
Trial continues tomorrow.