Peter (left) waves to his supporters at Kota Kinabalu Court complex compound. — Bernama photo
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Infrastructure Development Minister Datuk Peter Anthony yesterday pleaded not guilty at the Special Corruption Court here to a charge of abetment in a criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving the purchase of Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (RISDA) land worth RM15,545,400 six years ago.
Peter made the plea after the charge, framed under Section 109 of the Penal Code, was read out to him before Judge Abu Bakar Manat.
Peter is alleged to have committed the offence between July 22, 2014, and Nov 19, 2015, at the Beverly Hills Plaza, Jalan Bundusan, Penampang, by abetting lawyer Michael Percius Ubu, who acted as Risda agent and entrusted with authority over money amounting to RM15,545,400 to commit CBT by banking in the money into Messrs Michael Ubu & Co’s Ambank account.
The money was said to be 10 per cent of the sale price of oil palm land measuring 6,768.688 acres in Tongod.
On June 11, Peter, who is Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan) vice-president, had also claimed trial to five counts of money laundering involving RM8.75 million involving Risda land deal.
He was allowed bail of RM500,000 with two local sureties.
On June 15, Michael also pleaded not guilty to three counts of CBT and money laundering in connection with the Risda land deal.
The court set remention for today’s case on Aug 4, together with the money laundering case.
Four deputy public prosecutors from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission – Mohamad Fadhly Mohamad Zambry, Nartiah F.Mirchelle Sambatan, Amin Fakri and Mohd Faliq Basarudin – appeared for the prosecution, while Peter was represented by lawyers Dominic Chew, Datuk Douglas Lind, Martin Tommy and Luke Ressa Balang. — Bernama