Sabah minister claims trial to abetting CBT involving over RM15.5m

Sabah Infrastructure Development Minister Peter Anthony today pleaded not guilty at the Special Corruption Court in Kota Kinabalu to a charge of abetment in a criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving the purchase of Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (Risda) land worth RM15,545,400 six years ago.

Anthony made the plea after the charge, framed under Section 109 of the Penal Code, was read out to him before Judge Abu Bakar Manat.

Anthony is alleged to have committed the offence between July 22, 2014, and Nov 19, 2015, at the Beverly Hills Plaza, Jalan Bundusan, Penampang, by abetting lawyer Michael Percius Ubu, who acted as Risda agent and entrusted with authority over money amounting to RM15,545,400 to commit CBT by banking in the money into Messrs Michael Ubu & Co’s Ambank account.

The money was said to be 10 percent of the sale price of oil palm land measuring 2739.19ha in Tongod.

On June 11, the Warisan vice-president had also claimed trial to five counts of laundering RM8.75 million involving Risda land deal. He was allowed bail of RM500,000 in two local sureties.

On June 15, Ubu also pleaded not guilty to three counts of CBT and money laundering in connection with the Risda land deal.

The court set Aug 4 for the re-mention of this case together with the money laundering case.

Four deputy public prosecutors from the MACC - Mohamad Fadhly Mohamad Zambry, Nartiah F. Mirchelle Sambatan, Amin Fakri and Mohd Faliq Basarudin - appeared for the prosecution, while Anthony was represented by lawyers Dominic Chew, Douglas Lind, Martin Tommy and Luke Ressa Balang.

- Bernama

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