Kuala lumpur: The key prosecution witness in the Penang undersea tunnel corruption trial involving Lim Guan Eng told the Sessions Court today that his vehicle company was used as a conduit for bribery payments to the former chief minister.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, businessman G. Gnanaraja, 44, testified that Lim had instructed him to set up a company, Bumi Muhibah Capital Holding Sdn Bhd, and open a bank account for it. The company was incorporated on August 10, 2016, and in August 2017, he used it to facilitate bribe payments to Lim. Gnanaraja stated that all instructions to establish the company and open the account were given by Lim while they were traveling to Publika on August 20, 2017. The company held a CIMB Bank account at the CIMB KLCC branch, with Gnanaraja having full access to the account as the sole authorized individual to withdraw funds.
The 37th prosecution witness added that he became acquainted with Datuk Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli, then Director of Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd (CZCSB), around May 2017. Between August 10 and 19, 2017, they communicated regarding Gnanaraja acting as the intermediary between Zarul Ahmad and Lim. Gnanaraja testified that Datuk Zarul selected him as an intermediary to deliver cash to Lim based on trust and the fact that he was not affiliated with any opposition party at the time.
He further stated that during a meeting at Hotel Impiana in Ipoh on August 18, 2017, he and Zarul discussed a sum of RM2 million that Zarul intended to hand over to Lim. Later that day, while at home, Gnanaraja received a call from Datuk Zarul to meet him at Eastin Hotel, Petaling Jaya. Upon arrival, Datuk Zarul placed two bags, which Gnanaraja understood to contain RM1 million each, in the boot of his car. Upon returning home, Gnanaraja confirmed the bags contained bundles of RM100 banknotes, which he left in his study until further instructions from Zarul.
Gnanaraja recounted a phone call from Zarul instructing him to prepare one of the bags containing RM1 million and proceed to Hotel Wen Worth in Pudu to pick up Lim. There, Lim entered Datuk Zarul's car, and after exchanging pleasantries, discussed confidential financial matters intended for his benefit.
According to the amended first charge, Lim, 64, is accused, in his capacity as the then chief minister of Penang, of abusing his position to receive a bribe of RM3.3 million to assist a company owned by Zarul Ahmad in securing the Major Roads and Undersea Tunnel Construction Project in Penang, valued at RM6,341,383,702. The offence allegedly took place between January 2011 and August 2017 at the Chief Minister's Office in Penang.
Under the amended second charge, Lim is accused of soliciting a 10 percent bribe out of the project's future profits from Zarul Ahmad for assisting his company in securing the same project. The solicitation allegedly took place near The Gardens Hotel, Lingkaran Syed Putra, Mid Valley City, between 12.30 am and 2.00 am in March 2011.
Additionally, Lim faces two charges of disposing of a couple of state-owned lots of land in Penang, valued at RM208.8 million, to a developer linked to the undersea tunnel project. These offences were allegedly committed at the Penang Land and Mines Office, Komtar, on February 17, 2015, and March 22, 2017.
The trial before Judge Azura Alwi resumes on August 19.