Kuala lumpur: Hydroshoppe Sdn Bhd and its director, Datuk Abdul Hamid Shaikh Abdul Razak Shaikh, are seeking to have their high-profile bribery trial moved to the High Court. The case involves allegations of an annual RM500,000 bribe over 15 years related to the takeover of the Kuala Lumpur Tower (KL Tower) concession.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Abdul Hamid and the company filed a motion on April 1 through Messrs Chetan Jethwany and Company, naming the public prosecutor as the respondent. Abdul Hamid's affidavit highlighted that the case entails complex legal and constitutional issues which may be beyond the Sessions Court's capacity to address.
'The charges involve two separate entities, one against me as an individual under Section 16(b)(B) of the MACC Act, and another against the company under Section 17A(1)(a). Although separate, both are based on the same allegation, raising concerns over self-incrimination and potential double jeopardy,' Abdul Hamid explained. He emphasized that a High Court trial would facilitate appeals to higher courts, including the Federal Court, for a final determination on constitutional issues.
The bribery charges are connected to an alleged offer to former Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa concerning the Menara Kuala Lumpur concession takeover. During today's proceedings, Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Nurul Qistini Qamarul Abrar informed Sessions Court Judge Suzana Hussin that the High Court scheduled a hearing for the transfer application on May 15. She requested a vacation of the trial dates set for May 7 and 8, a move supported by defense counsel Tang Jia Yearn.
The prosecution team included DPP Elyza Amira Habeeb Rahman and prosecuting officer Muhammad Taufik Awaludin. Judge Suzana approved the request to vacate the May dates while keeping other trial dates intact. Previously, the court had set trial dates spanning May to December 2026.
On April 5, 2023, Abdul Hamid faced charges of offering a bribe through Datuk Tan Ser Lay to persuade Annuar to expedite the Menara Kuala Lumpur concession takeover. Charged under Section 16(b)(B) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, Abdul Hamid faces a possible 20-year prison sentence or a fine five times the bribe amount, or RM10,000, whichever is higher.
Hydroshoppe also faces charges under Section 17A(1)(a) of the MACC Act 2009 for jointly offering the bribe to benefit Annuar. This charge could result in a fine of at least 10 times the bribe amount or RM1 million, whichever is higher, or a 20-year prison term, or both, upon conviction. The alleged offenses occurred at the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia in Putrajaya between July and August 2022.