PUTRAJAYA, Dec 3 (Bernama) — Following the completion of a mandated seven-day investigation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), former senior political secretary to the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin, and businessman Albert Tei will face corruption charges tomorrow.
MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki said that the two individuals will each be charged with five counts of corruption at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court and an additional charge at the Shah Alam Sessions Court on Friday.
“The charges involve Section 17(a) of the MACC Act for the offence of accepting bribes and Section 17(b) for the offence of giving bribes. They were investigated under Section 16 of the MACC Act 2009,” he said at a press conference here today.
Shamsul and Tei were remanded for six days beginning Nov 29 after the Putrajaya Magistrate’s Court granted the MACC’s application to complete its investigation.
The MACC previously stated that the seven-day deadline was necessary as the case involves the public interest.
The case relates to allegations that Tei had bribed Shamsul in order to recover a sum of money purportedly distributed to several Sabah assemblymen.
Elaborating further, Azam said a woman, Sofia Rini Buyong, who was also detained on the same day, would not be charged and has been classified as a prosecution witness.
He said a total of 32 witnesses had their statements recorded during the one-week investigation, in addition to the three individuals detained.
Commenting on a viral claim by Tei’s wife that MACC officers did not present a search list during a raid, Azam asserted that the officers involved had fully complied with the standard operating procedure.
“The search list and seizure list were handed directly to Albert Tei. The claim that we did not present that document is not true,” he said.
“Similarly, the accusation that our officers pointed a pistol… that is also completely untrue. We have already made a police report, and all video recordings, including the house’s CCTV footage, have been handed over to the police,” he said.
Azam then confirmed that an investigation into Tei’s lawyer, Mahajoth Singh, has been opened under Section 48 of the MACC Act for refusing to cooperate and failing to surrender exhibits in his possession.
“Lawyer-client communication privilege does not protect exhibits or documents that are not part of confidential advice. The MACC summoned him under Sections 30(1) and 30(2) of the MACC Act, and no professional is exempt from attending to give evidence,” he explained.
Azam also informed that approximately RM600,000 had been frozen over the course of the investigation.
Tei had previously claimed that he spent about RM629,000 on Shamsul, including renovation costs, purchasing premium cigars and a custom suit, believed to be linked to efforts to recover funds allegedly disbursed to politicians in Sabah.
He also posted screenshots of WhatsApp conversations, which allegedly showed requests for foreign currency by Shamsul ahead of an overseas trip.
— BERNAMA