The prosecution in Lim Guan Eng’s RM6.3 billion graft trial has applied to drop the word “received” from the first charge, a move the defence argues is prejudicial.
KUALA LUMPUR: The prosecution in the RM6.3 billion Penang undersea tunnel corruption case has applied to amend the first charge against former chief minister Lim Guan Eng by removing the word “received”.
Deputy public prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin informed the Sessions Court that the amendment was sought because the relevant law does not specify whether a person receives or solicits a gratification.
He clarified that the amount of RM3.3 million mentioned in the charge would remain unchanged following the proposed amendment.
Lim’s lead counsel, Ramkarpal Singh, objected to the application, arguing that the element of receipt is fundamental to the charge and its removal at this late stage would prejudice the defence.
Judge Azura Alwi then set the following day for both parties to present their full legal arguments on the matter.
The trial subsequently continued with the defence cross-examining the 37th prosecution witness, businessman Datuk Seri G Gnanaraja.
Lim faces a first charge of abusing his position to receive RM3.3 million for helping a company secure the RM6.34 billion Penang infrastructure project between January 2011 and August 2017.
He also faces a second charge of soliciting a 10% cut of the project’s future profits from businessman Zarul Ahmad for the same assistance in March 2011.
The former minister is additionally charged with two counts of disposing of state land in Penang, valued at RM208.8 million, to a developer linked to the undersea tunnel project.
