KUALA LUMPUR: The prosecution's key witness in the corruption trial of Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin and his wife, Datin Seri Zizie Izette Abdul Samad in connection with investment in Public Mutual Berhad has denied giving contradictory evidence and fabricated stories to save the couple.
Unit trust consultant Norhaili Ahmad Mokhtar, 45, told the Sessions Court on Thursday (March 3) here that her testimony in court was true.
"I did not lie in court," she said when questioned by deputy public prosecutor Law Chin How, who had applied to cross-examine the woman, who was considered a hostile witness for giving contradictory statements in the case.
Earlier, Judge Rozina Ayob allowed Law’s application.
Norhaili, who is the 25th prosecution witness, however, agreed with Law's suggestion that there was a discrepancy between her testimony in court with the recording of her conversation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on the demand for a commission of RM3.5mil from Bung Moktar.
Law: According to the recording of the MACC conversation in 2016, you said that RM3.5mil was requested by Bung Moktar, but in your testimony in court, you said that the money was never requested by him. Do you agree that these two statements are contradictory.
Norhaili: Agree.
To Law’s suggestion that by giving conflicting evidence in court, she was an unreliable witness, Norhaili said she was not sure.
"I'm not sure... the important thing is that I'm telling the truth,” she said when told by Law that her testimony was not in favour of the prosecution.
She said when she was called by the MACC for investigation, she felt pressured and was in fear.
"This is the first experience in my 19 years with the unit trust. I am sad and feel depressed as if I have done wrong, when I feel I have done the right thing," said the woman, who also told the court that five recordings of her statements were made by MACC from 2016 to 2018.
Meanwhile, Norhaili also agreed with the prosecution's suggestion that the RM2.8mil paid to Zizie Izette was the introduction fee.
During the proceeding last Jan 27, Norhaili told the court that Zizie Izette was eligible to receive an introduction fee of RM2.8mil as the actress introduced her husband to obtain Felcra’s approval to invest
RM150mil in Public Mutual unit trusts.
She said the introduction fee for Zizie Izette was part of her marketing strategy as the actress had also introduced a senior Felcra officer to make the investment.
The cross-examination on Norhaili will continue on March 18.
Lawyers Datuk K. Kumaraendran and M. Athimulan represented Zizie Izette and Bung Moktar, respectively.
On May 3, 2019, Bung Moktar, 60, pleaded not guilty to two counts of accepting bribes amounting to RM2.2mil and RM262,500 as an inducement to obtain Felcra’s approval to make a RM150mil investment in Public Mutual unit trusts.
Bung Moktar, who was then the non-executive chairman of Felcra, is accused of accepting bribes from Public Mutual investment agent Madhi Abdul Hamid, 38, through Zizie Ezette at the Public Bank Taman Melawati branch, Jalan Bandar 12, Taman Melawati here between 12.30pm and 5pm on June 12, 2015.
He also pleaded not guilty to accepting a bribe of RM335,500 for himself from Norlaili through Zizie Izette for the same reason.
The offence was allegedly committed at the same place on June 19, 2015.
Zizie Ezette, 44, pleaded not guilty to three counts of abetting her husband in committing the alleged offences. — Bernama