ZIZIE Izette Abdul Samad has requested a notice of motion be filed to review the decision of the Sessions Court which ordered the actress to defend herself on charges of bribery involving RM2.8 million to be heard together with her husband Bung Moktar Radin’s application before the same judge at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.

Lawyer K. Kumaraendran, who is representing Zizie, said he had requested that her application be transferred before Judicial Commissioner (JC) Azhar Abdul Hamid when the case was mentioned today.

JC Azhar then set October 17 to hear the application.

Zizie’s case should have been heard before Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah while Bung Moktar’s case was before JC Azhar.

On September 23, Judge Sequerah granted the application of Bung Moktar, 64, and Zizie, 44, to postpone their trial at the Sessions Court after the couple filed a notice of motion to review and set aside the decision made by the Sessions Court Judge on September 2.

The Kinabatangan MP and his wife filed separate review applications on September 19, asking the High Court to call and examine the records of the proceedings in the Sessions Court which heard and ruled that they were defending themselves against charges of corruption and abetment. 

In the application, both sought an order from the High Court to cancel the decision delivered by the Sessions Court.

Both applicants said the judge who heard the trial erred in law and fact when she ruled that the prosecution successfully proved the applicants received bribes from two investment agents who were key witnesses in the case.

Meanwhile, in the Sessions Court, Judge Rozina Ayob fixed October 17 for the parties to inform the court about the status of the couple’s application.

“The trial date (defence) scheduled for October 14 is vacated while the trial dates on October 28, November 21 and 31, December 1 and 7, January 3 and 9 to January 13 2023 are maintained,” said the judge after allowing the application Deputy Public Prosecutor Faridz Gohim Abdullah that the dates of the hearing previously set be maintained while the applications of Bung and Zizie are heard and decided by the High Court.

On September 2, Rozina ordered the couple to defend themselves on three charges of corruption after finding that the prosecution had successfully proved a prima facie case against them.

The couple was supposed to defend themselves on three charges of corruption amounting to RM2.8 million, involving Public Mutual Berhad unit trust investments starting on September 23.

On May 3, 2019, Bung was charged with two charges of accepting bribes amounting to RM2.2 million and RM262,500 as an inducement to obtain Felcra’s approval to invest RM150 million in Public Mutual unit trusts.

Bung is accused of accepting bribes from Public Mutual agent, Madhi Abdul Hamid, through Zizie at Taman Melawati Public Bank Branch in Kuala Lumpur between 12.30pm and 5pm on June 12, 2015.

The Umno Supreme Council member was also charged with accepting a cash bribe of RM337,500 from Unit Amanah consultant, Norhaili Ahmad Mokhtar under the name of Zizie Izette for the same reason and at the same place on June 19, 2015 while Zizie faces three charges of abetting with her husband in relation to the matter at the same place, date and time. – Bernama, September 26, 2022.