Musa Aman acquitted after prosecution applies to drop all charges
Editor's note: It was earlier reported that the prosecution had applied for a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA). This has been amended as the prosecution only applied to withdraw the charges. We regret the error.
Former Sabah chief minister Musa Aman was today acquitted of 46 charges of corruption and money laundering linked to timber concessions in the state.
The prosecution had applied to withdraw the charges.
Considering the prosecution's move to drop the charges, Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Muhammad Jamil Hussin exercised his judicial discretion to grant Musa (above) a full acquittal...
Editor's note: It was earlier reported that the prosecution had applied for a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA). This has been amended as the prosecution only applied to withdraw the charges. We regret the error.
Former Sabah chief minister Musa Aman was today acquitted of 46 charges of corruption and money laundering linked to timber concessions in the state.
The prosecution had applied to withdraw the charges.
Considering the prosecution's move to drop the charges, Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Muhammad Jamil Hussin exercised his judicial discretion to grant Musa (above) a full acquittal.
When contacted, Musa's counsel Francis Ng confirmed that his client has been acquitted.
"Yes, all charges have been withdrawn and Tan Sri (Musa) has been acquitted and discharged altogether," Ng said.
Previously, it was reported that Musa had filed an application to strike out the 46 charges.
The charges were dropped before they had a chance to go to trial.
In a press statement issued after proceedings, Musa’s counsel Amer Hamzah Arshad (photo) confirmed the outcome of the case today.
He claimed that the prosecution of Musa over the 46 charges amounted to mala fide (bad faith) and "political persecution" as the MACC and Independent Commission Against Corruption of Hong Kong (ICAC) had back in 2011 decided not to charge Musa.
Amer further claimed that back then, the authorities decided not to prosecute Musa on grounds that there was no element of corruption and the money was a political donation.
He alleged that this all changed after the 14th general election in May 2018, when Musa was charged in November that same year.
“Based on the reasons presented above, I believe that Attorney-General Idrus Harun alongside the deputy public prosecutors handling the case, have looked at, and evaluated the application (to strike out the 46 charges) that we filed in court, collectively by taking into account every aspect of the law and justice.
“Based on the reasons given, the prosecution professionally had informed the High Court on June 9, 2020, that they are withdrawing the charges against Musa in line with the provision of Section 254 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
“Honourable High Court judge Muhammad Jamil Hussin, after hearing submissions of the defence in relation to the background of this case as stated above and settled law, has exercised his discretion to order for Musa be discharged and acquitted from all the charges,” Amer said.
The lawyer added that the defence has also withdrawn its application to strike out the 46 charges.
