A RM6 million bribery case involving a prominent arbitrator has been transferred from the Sessions Court in George Town to the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court.

Judge Khairul Anuar Abdul Halim today allowed the transfer following an application from the prosecution.

He said the Sessions Court in Kuala Lumpur also had the jurisdiction to hear the case.

Khairul Anuar said the application was approved as Yusof Holmes Abdullah, who was charged with soliciting a RM6 million bribe from a businessman, faced another two charges at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court related to making a false declaration to the Kuala Lumpur Regional Centre for Arbitration (KLRCA).

On June 26, Yusof Holmes, 69, a British citizen who has permanent resident status in Malaysia, is alleged to have solicited the RM6 million bribe by sending an email to Goh Nai Kooi alias Goh Mai Kwai at the latter’s house in Jalan Sri Bahari in George Town between Aug 1 and Sept 30, last year.

He was alleged to have asked for the bribe as an inducement to rule in favour of Syarikat JMR Construction Sdn Bhd in an arbitration matter with Syarikat Nanjing Changjiang Waterway Engineering Bureau, which was adjudged by the accused.

He was charged under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, which carries a jail term of up to 20 years, a fine of five times the bribe amount involved, or both, if convicted.

Meanwhile, a businessman, Siaw Teck Hwa, 59, who was charged with abetting Yusof Holmes, was also present during the court proceedings.

His case, which was also under the same Act, will also be transferred to the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court.

Yusof Holmes was represented by counsel Raj Shanker while counsel Zainal Fikri represented Siaw.

- Bernama