Mining bribery case: Next court date set for Sept 23

KOTA KINABALU: The Special Corruption Court has fixed Sept 23 for further pre-trial case management in the mining prospecting case involving two assemblymen and a businessman.

The court set the date on Tuesday (Aug 5) after the prosecution requested more time to prepare documents, including forensics reports, information from telecommunications companies, and confirmation from Immigration.

Judge Jason Juga allowed the date and extended bail for all the accused.

On June 30, Sindumin assemblyman Datuk Dr Yusof Yacob, Tanjung Batu assemblyman Datuk Andi Muhammad Suryady Bandy, and Selangor-based businessman Datuk Albert Tei Jiann Cheing, 37, pleaded not guilty before judge Juga after being separately charged under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009.

They were accused of receiving and giving bribes totalling RM350,000 in relation to mineral prospecting licence applications.

According to the charge sheets, Dr Yusof, 69, who is also the Qhazanah Sabah Berhad chairman, allegedly received RM200,000 in cash from Tei on March 6, 2023, at 2pm at a hotel restaurant here, as an inducement to facilitate the approval of a prospecting licence for Nusa Kini Sdn Bhd to conduct mineral exploration in Sabah.

Andi, 44, was accused of accepting RM150,000 in cash from Tei on May 12, 2023, outside his residence here, for assisting with the prospecting licence application of Sinaran Hayat Sdn Bhd.

Tei was charged with giving bribes to both assemblymen in connection with the same licence applications.