Musa Aman
KUALA LUMPUR: The prosecution in the corruption case of former Sabah chief minister Tan Sri Musa Aman applied to the High Court here today for a review of the Sesions Court’s decision in allowing Musa’s application for the release of his impounded international passport to enable him to seek treatment in London.
Deputy public prosecutor Datuk Salim Shoib said the grounds to seek treatment overseas used by Musa, 68, for the release of the passport was not extraordinary, not strong and did not reflect urgency.
“It is not appropriate to give permission for the respondent to go overseas only on medical grounds. The court should take into consideration the need for the respondent to seek treatment,” he said during hearing of his application for a review of the Sessions Court decision last Jan 7.
Salim said Musa failed to provide evidence that the treatment was not available in Malaysia .
“There was no record submitted by the respondent that say electrocardiogram, blood test, angiogram coronary test, angiography and polysomnography cannot be made in Malaysia,” he added.
Salim told the court that Musa could be a flight risk.
Musa’s lawyer, Amer Hamzah Arshad, objected to the prosecution’s application by giving several grounds, including that his client was not going for a first treatment, but for follow-up treatment which he had been going since 1996.
He said Musa took the risk of returning to Malaysia in August last year to assist investigation in his corruption case, despite advice by medical specialist at a hospital in London.
“There is no possibility of the respondent absconding. It is unfair to deny the respondent’s right to seek follow-up treatment,” he added.
Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan will decide the matter tomorrow.
Last Jan 7, Judge Rozina Ayob allowed Musa’s application for the release from Jan 15 to Feb 10 of his passport on condition that the Sabah politician would travel only to Singapore and London.
She also ordered Musa to return the passport by Feb 11 at the latest, and said the surety was required to be responsible for the accused and know of his whereabouts during that period.
On Nov 5, 2018, Musa claimed trial to 35 counts of corruption involving US$63.3 million (RM263 million) in connection with timber concession contracts in Sabah. He was allowed bail of RM2 million in two sureties. – Bernama