Sessions Court Sets Sept 3 to Hear Shamsul Iskandar’s Bid to Stay Corruption Trial Pending Appeal

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 27 — The Sessions Court here has fixed Sept 3 to hear an application by Datuk Seri Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin, former senior political secretary to the Prime Minister, to stay his corruption proceedings pending the outcome of an appeal to transfer the case to the High Court.

Sessions Court Judge Suzana Hussin set the hearing date after Shamsul Iskandar’s counsel, Datuk Amer Hamzah Arshad, informed the court that the stay application was filed yesterday.

“Given that the application has been filed, I still need to set a date to hear it, but I will place on record that the prosecution does not object to the application,” Judge Suzana stated in court.

Earlier in the proceedings, Amer Hamzah told the court that High Court Judge Noor Ruwena Md Nurdin had previously dismissed their application to transfer the case to the High Court. The defence subsequently lodged an appeal, which is scheduled to be heard by the Court of Appeal on Jan 19 next year.

Amer Hamzah requested that the Sessions Court trial be stayed until the appellate court resolves the transfer application, noting that the prosecution’s lack of objection could allow for an immediate hearing to save judicial time. Deputy Public Prosecutor Farah Ezlin Yusop Khan confirmed receiving the application recently and stated that the prosecution raised no objections.

Shamsul Iskandar, 51, faces two charges of agreeing to accept RM140,000 in cash from businessman Tei Jiann Cheing, also known as Albert Tei, as an inducement to help Tei’s company secure a mineral exploration licence in Sabah. He also faces two additional charges of receiving gratification from Tei in the form of furniture and electrical appliances valued at RM14,580.03 and RM22,249, respectively.

Furthermore, Shamsul Iskandar is charged with accepting RM64,924 in bribes from Tei, deposited into a CIMB Bank account belonging to Rahmalidya Buyong, to cover house rental expenses in Bukit Bandaraya, Kuala Lumpur.

The alleged offences occurred across locations in Bukit Bandaraya, Kuala Lumpur, and Putrajaya between November 2023 and March 2024. All charges were framed under Section 17(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of not less than five times the bribe amount or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

–NMT