KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 8): The trial of Muhammad Faisal Hamzah, a former minister’s son and freelance consultant facing a charge of accepting RM100,000 in bribes, will be heard before a new Sessions Court judge.

Judge Rozina Ayob, who has been presiding over the case, announced that she will be transferred on Aug 15, and a new judge will take over the proceedings.

“The court has scheduled Aug 29 for the remention of the case,” Rozina said during Thursday’s proceedings.

Earlier, lawyer Chetan Jethwani, representing Muhammad Faisal, noted that Thursday’s mention was to finalise the list of lawyers appointed to represent the accused.

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) prosecuting officer Selvam T Armugom informed the court that he will handle the case, alongside another prosecuting officer, Ikhwan Zaudi Nordin.

Muhammad Faisal, 40, son of former home minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin, was charged with accepting the bribe from Izmir Abd Hamid as an inducement to use his influence to have Heitech Padu Bhd (KL:HTPADU) appoint Syarikat Rimba Merpati and Syarikat Per My Solutions as its marketing consultants.

Those companies were paid a commission of RM700,000, after Heitech Padu was awarded a RM33 million worth of supply, rental, implementation, training, support and maintenance of security infrastructure tender by the Companies Commission of Malaysia.

Muhammad Faisal is alleged to have committed the offence at an office lot in a shopping mall at Jalan Dutamas 1 here, in March 2018.

The charge, framed under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, carries a maximum jail term of 20 years, and a fine of RM10,000 or five times the amount of the bribe, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

https://www.theedgemarkets.com/node/722161