THE Kuala Lumpur High Court today allowed an application by former Tabung Haji chairman Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim, who is facing three charges for corruption and 10 charges for money-laundering, to stay hearing of the case pending the outcome of his appeal at the Court of Appeal to strike out all the charges.

Judge Muhammad Jamil Hussin made the decision after finding there were special circumstances that justify the court’s use of its discretion to stay the hearing at the sessions court.

“After considering the submission by the counsel and taking into account the no objection by the prosecution, the court hereby allows the application by the applicant (Azeez).

“The court also considers the principles of law in an application to stay the hearing. In this case, there are special circumstances that justify the court to stay the trial proceedings in the sessions court until the disposal of the applicant’s appeal in the Court of Appeal,” he added.

On March 12, Azeez failed in his bid to quash the charges following Jamil’s decision in dismissing the appeal on grounds that the charges were not defective and based on the provisions of the law.

Azeez subsequently filed an appeal against the dismissal of his application to the Court of Appeal on the same day (March 12), while the application to stay sessions court proceedings was filed last April 8.

Earlier, lawyer Amer Hamzah Arshad, representing Azeez, submitted that on the fact that the prosecution did not object to the stay application showed they appreciated the dynamics of the proceedings that there was no prejudice to the state. 

“There would be no prejudice to the prosecution, rather it will prejudice the applicant if stay is not allowed,” he said.

The appeal has been fixed for case management on June 8 at the Court of Appeal.

Meanwhile, deputy public prosecutor Adam Mohamed told the court the prosecution had received instruction from the Attorney-General’s Chambers to not object the stay application.

Azeez was charged with three counts of accepting bribes amounting to RM5.2 million in connection with road projects in Perak and Kedah and 10 counts of money-laundering involving a total of RM13.9 million, which he allegedly received from Menuju Asas Sdn Bhd.

The offences were allegedly committed at CIMB Bank, Jalan Tun Perak in Kuala Lumpur on December 8, 2010 and at Affin Bank, Puchong City Centre, Selangor, on June 13, 2017 and April 10, 2018.

On the money-laundering charges, Azeez was charged with committing the offences in the Klang Valley area between March 8, 2010 and August 30, 2018. – Bernama, April 12, 2021.