Gobind: Whatsapp chat will prove witness lied in court
KUALA LUMPUR: DAP chairman Lim Guan Eng has alleged that a prosecution witness had lied when testifying in his corruption trial involving the Penang Undersea Tunnel Project.
Lim's lead counsel Gobind Singh Deo alleged that Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd (CZBUCG) former senior vice-president of finance and corporate services Azli Adam was lying when he gave his evidence on the RM2 million bribes purportedly for the former Penang chief minister.
"We believe the monies were given to the third party for other purposes.
"Azli, when testified in Shah Alam Sessions Court said my client was not involved in the payment which was given to businessman G. Gnanaraja on Aug 17, 2017.
"Thus, we need the trial notes from the Shah Alam Sessions Court to support our application to get the Whatsapp conversation between Gnanaraja and Azli's former boss, Datuk Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli.
"This shows how important these messages are to us (the defence) because this witness (Azli) lied in court... the court must decide this," he said.
Gobind requested an adjournment of the proceedings, stating that the trial notes would be provided by the Shah Alam Sessions Court within two weeks.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin did not object to the request (of adjournment).
Judge Azura Alwi fixed March 1 and March 17 to hear the submission.
Zarul in his testimony said he gave Lim RM2 million in cash through Gnanaraja.
He said the monies were given to Gnanaraja in two separate sports bags near the Eastin Hotel and were put in the latter's Bentley.
Zarul said a middleman was used as he was under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC)'s radar at that time.
Gnanaraja, who purportedly has a close connection to the then prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, could put a stop to a probe on the controversial project.
Lim is facing four charges of using his position as the then chief minister to solicit gratification to help Consortium Zenith Construction to secure the tunnel project.
He is alleged to have sought 10 per cent of the profit to be made by the company from its owner, Zarul.
He is also accused of receiving RM3.3 million for himself and causing two plots of land belonging to the state government to be disposed of to two companies linked to the tunnel project.
Source: New Straits Times
