KUALA LUMPUR, 27 April 2009: Former Ampang Jaya Municipal Council enforcement director Capt (R) Abdul Kudus Ahmad, tried for corruption, will know his fate on 30 June.
Ampang Sessions Court Judge Nor Adidah Ahmad fixed the date after hearing submissions from both sides at the end of the defence case here today.
The trial that began on 9 Aug 2003 saw the prosecution producing 11 witnesses while the defence 12 including former Housing and Local Government Deputy Minister Datuk M Kayveas.
Kudus, 46, faced 24 counts of soliciting and taking bribes totalling RM59,000 from the owner of Sri Steven’s Corner restaurant between May 2001 and May 2004.
The charges under Section 10(a)(bb) and Section 11(a) of the Anti-Corruption Act 1997 carry a maximum jail term of 20 years and fine of not less than five times the sum according Section 16, if convicted.
The case was initially heard by Judge Nor Afizah Hanum Mokhtar before Nor Addidah took over during the defence stage as Nor Afizah went for further study.
The proceedings were also postponed several times during the defence case after Kudus’ lawyer, M Manoharan, was detained under the Internal Security Act in December 2007.
His present lawyer, A Srimurugan, said Kudus was not guilty and that there was no evidence that could connect his client to the charges.
Prosecution Division (Policy) Deputy Head Datuk Nordin Hassan of the Attorney-General’s Chambers said there was sufficient evidence to convict Kudus. — Bernama
