Musa
KOTA KINABALU: Former Sabah Chief Minister Tan Sri Musa Aman was charged in the Sessions Court here today with 35 counts of bribes over timber concession contracts in Sabah involving US$63.3 million.
Musa who was wearing a black coat, a songkok and a walking stick understood every charge read to him by two court interpreters.
“I understand and ask for a trial”, Musa said after being asked by Sessions judge Rozina Ayob.
According to all the charges, Musa, as a Sabah state government agent, namely, as the Sabah Chief Minister-cum-Sabah Foundation Board of Trustee chairman, via corrupt practices, acquired for himself US$63.3 million (RM263,460,962,313) in bribes.
The feedbacks were as inducements for him to give Sabah timber concession contracts to several companies including Segar Tepat Sdn Bhd and J.V. Lestari Sdn Bhd.
All the offences were allegedly committed at seven banks and financial institutions abroad, including HSBC Bank, Claymore Plaza, and Ocean Tower in Singapore as well as UBS AG Bank, Central, Hong Kong, China.
The prosecution was made under Section 11 (a) of the Anti-Corruption Act 1997 (Act 575) and punishable under Section 16 of the same Act.
If convicted, he could be sentenced to a maximum of 29 years imprisonment and a fine not less than five times the amount of corruption or RM10,000 whichever is higher.
The prosecution was handled by Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram while Musa was represented by lawyer Amer Hamzah Arshad. -Bernama