KUALA LUMPUR – The Court of Appeal has rejected a review application by former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to reinstate his discharge and acquittal on four abuse of power charges related to the Jana Wibawa project today.
The decision would mean the Perikatan Nasional chairman will continue to stand trial for the charges related to RM232.5 million in bribes for Bersatu at the Kuala Lumpur sessions court.
The review application today was presided over by a five-judge panel comprising Datuk Azizah Nawawi, Datuk Che Ruzima Ghazali, Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim, Datuk Azman Abdullah and Datuk Azhahari Kamal Ramli.
On April 18 last year, Muhyiddin filed a motion requesting an acquittal and discharge from the four charges on the grounds that the allegations lacked particulars as to how he abused his position for bribery-related purposes.
On August 18, 2023, the Kuala Lumpur High Court allowed Muhyiddin’s application for an acquittal with judge Datuk Muhammad Jamil Hussin deciding that the four abuse of power charges against him were defective and not in line with the Criminal Procedure Code.
However, on February 28 this year, following a challenge by the Attorney-General’s Chambers, a Court of Appeal panel comprising Datuk Hadhariah Syed Ismail, Datuk Azmi Ariffin and Datuk S.M. Komathy Suppiah overturned judge Jamil’s decision and reinstated the charges against Muhyiddin.
Muhyiddin, as prime minister and president of Bersatu at the time, was charged with using his position to obtain RM232.5 million in bribes from Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd, Nepturis Sdn Bhd, Mamfor Sdn Bhd and Datuk Azman Yusoff for his political party.
He is accused of committing the act at the Prime Minister’s Office, Bangunan Perdana Putra, Federal Government Administration Centre in Putrajaya between March 1, 2020, and August 20, 2021.
He faces two additional charges of receiving RM195 million gained from illegal activities from Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd, which was deposited into Bersatu’s CIMB Bank account.
These acts were allegedly committed at CIMB Bank, Menara KL Branch, Jalan Stesen Sentral between February 25 and July 16, 2021, and between February 8 and July 8, 2022. – September 11, 2024