The Sessions Court in Temerloh today granted the application by Mohamad Norza Zakaria to call five officers from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for identification by the second witness in the corruption trial of the former Kuala Lumpur Federal Territory Umno Youth head.

Judge Azuar Che Yusof allowed the application by Mohamad Norza's defence counsel, Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, after the MACC deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Sazilee Abdul Khairy failed to challenge the submissions by Muhammad Shafee.

He had sought the court's permission to allow the five officers to be brought to court to be identified by Mohd Taupik Hussain who had alleged that three of the officers had abused him during interrogation.

Muhammad Shafee applied Section 425 of the Criminal Procedure Code which enabled the judge to call anyone as witness in any proceedings in the name of justice for the applicant.

"I'm applying under Section 425 for the court to allow Mohd Taupik to identify three MACC officers who had allegedly abused him.

"I'm also applying for permission to identify two MACC officers responsible in taking two differing statements from the witness," he said.

norza zakaria interview 070807 gesture Mohamad Norza ( left ), 43, who was also a former member of the Umno supreme council, is charged with giving a bribe of RM1,500 to Khadri Musa through Halimi Kamaruzzaman for distribution to the delegates as an inducement to vote for him in the election for the Umno supreme council seats in March.

He is also charged with giving a bribe of RM1,900 to Mohammad Anuar Yunus through Halimi for the same purpose. Both offences were alleged to have been committed at No 38, Pinggiran Tasik, Taman Bandar Temerloh at 6.30pm on Jan 20, this year.

Halimi, 47, is charged with giving the bribe to Khadri and Mohammad Anuar on the same date and at the same place.

They are being charged under Section 16(b)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 (Act 694) which carries a maximum jail term of 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount of the bribe or RM10,00, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

The hearing continues on Dec 22.

Witness charged with perjury

Meanwhile, Mohd Taupik was charged in the Magistrate's Court here with perjury.

Mohd Taupik, 39, from Kuala Lumpur, is charged with three counts of giving false information before Sessions Court judge Azuar Che Yusof at Mohamad Norza's trial yesterday and the day before.

He is charged with perjury by saying that he had never met Mohamad Norza on Jan 19.

On the second charge, he is alleged to have given false information that he did not receive any white envelope from Mohamad Norza on the same date and at the same place.

On the third charge, Mohd Taupik is alleged to have not handed a white envelope at a gathering at Muhammad Anuar Mohd Yunus's house, here on Jan 20.

He claimed trial to all the charges and was released on RM5,000 bail. The case will be mentioned on Dec 22.

He was charged before Magistrate Ida Rahayu Sharif under Section 193 of the Penal Code which carries a maximum jail term of seven years or a fine upon conviction.

Deputy public prosecutor Muhammad Najmi Daud appeared for the prosecution while the accused was represented by lawyer Francis Tan.

- Bernama