PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal has overturned the RM2mil corruption conviction against former Federal Territories minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor (pic).

       In a 2-1 majority decision read by Justice Suraya Othman, the appellate court was of the view that the appellant’s defence in the case was not a mere invention.

       The majority decision also found that there was a non-direction and misdirection by the learned trial judge, Justice Mohamed Zaini Mazlan, in the case.

       “The appellant should have been acquitted. We must intervene and allow this appeal and therefore set aside the conviction and sentence by the High Court judge,” Justice Suraya said here on Friday (July 16).

       The other judge who held the majority decision was Justice Ahmad Nasfy Yasin while Justice Abu Bakar Jais held the dissenting view.

       On Dec 21 last year, the Kuala Lumpur High Court sentenced Tengku Adnan to 12 months in jail and imposed an RM2mil fine after finding him guilty.

       The court, however, allowed the Putrajaya MP’s application for a stay of execution of the jail sentence and fine pending his appeal.

       Tengku Adnan, 70, was charged in his capacity as a public servant, namely Minister of Federal Territories, with having received for himself a total of RM2mil from Aset Kayamas Sdn Bhd (AKSB) director Tan Sri Chai Kin Kong via a cheque deposited into a bank account owned by Tadmansori Holdings Sdn Bhd (THSB), in which Tengku Adnan has an interest in and is known to AKSB as being related to his official duties.

       He was accused of committing the offence at CIMB Bank Berhad, Damansara Town Centre branch here on June 14, 2016, under Section 165 of the Penal Code, which provides an imprisonment of up to two years or a fine or both.

       More to come