THE corruption trial of a senior private secretary to a former tourism, arts and culture minister and a woman will begin on October 1.

Mohd Saifullah Mohd Minggu, 30, faces 24 charges of accepting and soliciting bribes amounting to more than RM3 million to secure an advertising tender under the ministry while Nurfadziana Abdul Kadir, 29, faces a charge of abetting Saifullah in committing the offence.

Judge Suzana Hussin fixed October 1, 14, 26 and 29; November 16 to 19 and 30; December 1 to 3 and December 14 to 16 for the trial of the two accused.

Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Muhammad Asraf Mohamed Tahir told the court documents related to the trial had been submitted to the defence under Section 51A of the Criminal Procedure Code.

“The prosecution is expected to call 27 witnesses to the stand,” Asraf said.

Saifullah was charged in the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court with 18 counts of accepting and soliciting bribes amounting to RM3,129,015 from a company owner to secure an advertising tender under the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry. 

Nurfadziana was charged with abetting Saifullah in committing the offence by accepting a bribe of RM232,000.

The offences were allegedly committed around Kuala Lumpur, namely at Red Box Karaoke and Coffee Bean outlets at the Pavilion shopping mall, Putra World Trade Centre, Vipod Residences, Maybank Taman Tun Dr Ismail branch, Wisma Genting and the Tourism Ministry office between January 19 and July 29, 2019.

Saifullah was also charged in the Shah Alam Sessions Court with six counts of soliciting and accepting bribes amounting to RM106,500.

The offences were allegedly committed at four different locations including in Petaling Jaya, Sepang and Puchong between December 21, 2018 and March 30, 2019.

Saifullah was charged with committing all the offences under Section 16(a)(B) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 while Nurfadziana was charged under Section 28(1). 

The offences punishable under Section 24 of the same Act carries a maximum 20 years’ jail and a fine of five times the value of the offence committed, or RM10,000, whichever is higher.

On September 17 last year, the Shah Alam Sessions Court allowed the prosecution’s request to transfer the cases against Saifullah to the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court for a joint trial. – Bernama, March 29, 2021.