KUALA LUMPUR (July 30): Former Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd (BNS) managing director Tan Sri Ahmad Ramli Mohd Nor's presence is required on Aug 15 for the court to decide whether or not he is fit to stand trial.

Sessions Court judge Suzana Hussin set the date after deputy public prosecutor (DPP) Nik Haslinie Hashim told her about the High Court's decision rejecting the application by the former Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) commander to strike out the charges against him.

The DPP told the court that in dismissing Ahmad Ramli’s application, the High Court returned the case to the Sessions Court for the trial judge to evaluate the applicant’s mental fitness.

Ramli, who is facing three charges of criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving RM21.08 million related to the RMN’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) project, had filed a motion in April, seeking the court to strike out the charges and discharge him from all the charges because of his health condition.

His daughter, Rinnie Nor Ahmad Ramli, 50, in her supporting affidavit, stated that her father had been diagnosed with "progressive neurodegenerative", a condition consistent with "moderate mixed dementia".

Lawyer Datuk Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden, representing Ahmad Ramli, then requested the court to set a date for mention since his client was not in court on Tuesday, and also promised to ensure his client’s presence in court on Aug 15.

On July 26, High Court judge Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid dismissed Ahmad Ramli’s application, finding that the issue of the applicant’s mental fitness to stand trial and defend himself needed to be assessed by a trial judge.

He also ordered the case be returned to the Sessions Court for the trial judge to evaluate Ahmad Ramli’s mental fitness.

Ahmad Ramli was charged on Aug 16, 2022 with CBT by approving a payment amounting to RM13,541,140 to the account of Syarikat Setaria Holding Ltd, Standard Chartered Bank, 6 Battery RD, Singapore 049909, without the approval of the BNS board of directors, while he was the managing director entrusted with the company’s funds.

The offence was allegedly committed at BNS, 17th floor, Menara Boustead, 69 Jalan Raja Chulan, between July 26, 2010, and March 25, 2011.

On the second charge, he is alleged to have approved payment amounting to RM1,360,716 to the account of JSD Corporation, the Overseas-Chinese Banking Corporation Ltd, 65 Chulia Street, OCBC Centre, Singapore, without the approval of the BNS board of directors at the same place between April 19, 2011, and May 4, 2011.

He was also charged with committing a similar offence by approving a payment amounting to RM6,182,295 to the account of Syarikat Sousmarin Armada Ltd, Standard Chartered Bank, 6 Battery Road, Singapore at the same place between Oct 28, 2010, and Nov 22, 2010.

The three charges were framed under Section 409 of the Penal Code, which provides imprisonment for up to 20 years with whipping and a fine if found guilty. 

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