KUALA LUMPUR: The former senior private secretary of an ex-minister has been ordered to enter his defence on eight charges of accepting gratification worth RM1.77 million.
Sessions Court judge Suzana Hussin made the ruling today after the prosecution established a prima facie case against Mohd Saifullah Mohd Minggu @ Mohd Hisham, 33.
"The court examined the statements of witnesses and submissions from the prosecution and defence.
"The accused is ordered to enter his defence on the charges," she said.
Saifullah, in his then capacity as a private secretary, is accused of accepting RM1.77 million in cash from Ronald Seto Kong Seng, the owner of Inter Bev Network Sdn Bhd, through Roslan Lahada on separate occasions between December 2018 and March 2019.
It was as an inducement to secure tenders for Tourism Malaysia and Visit Malaysia 2020 advertisements and digital advertisements through direct negotiations with Plan B Digital Sdn Bhd.
Suzana told Saifullah that he had three options for his defence.
He can choose to remain silent, give an unsworn statement from the dock or give a sworn statement from the dock, with cross-examination.
Saifullah's counsel, Haijan Omar, said his client would give a sworn statement from the dock and be cross-examined.
Haijan told the court that Saifullah and two other witnesses would be called to testify.
Suzana also acquitted and discharged Saifullah of 11 charges of soliciting and accepting RM820,530 from Seto.
The offences were committed at Red Box Karaoke and Coffee Bean at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, the World Trade Centre, the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry and Temasya Anggun, Glenmarie, between December 2018 and March 2019.
Saifullah was charged under Section 16(a)(B) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009.
Suzana also freed Saifullah's fiancée, Nurfadziana Abdul Kadir, 32, of one charge under Section 28(1) of the same act for abetting the acceptance of gratification worth RM232,000.
The judge had ruled that the prosecution failed to prove a prima facie case against her.
After exiting the dock, Nurfadziana was seen crying and was hugged by a family member.
The prosecution team was represented by deputy public prosecutors Law Chin How, Noor Syafina Mohd Redzuan, Muhammad Asraf Mohamed Tahir and Nurul Atiqah Mohamad Alias.
The court set April 19 for trial.
On Aug 19, 2020, Saifullah was slapped with 18 charges and Nurfadziana, one. Both pleaded not guilty to the charges.
On Sept 17, 2020, Saifullah was charged with six additional counts of soliciting and accepting gratification totalling RM106,5000.