Kuala lumpur: The defence team in Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin's Jana Wibawa case today moved to cite the 29th prosecution witness, Mazery Mohd Zaini, for contempt of court over a police report lodged against one of the lawyers representing the former Prime Minister.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, lawyer Datuk Amer Hamzah Arshad stated that the report was lodged against him concerning the ownership of a document, namely a copy of the recorded statement of Adam Radlan Adam Muhammad, which is alleged to have no connection to the trial before the court. Amer Hamzah expressed concerns that the information related in the report was shared by the witness under oath and during the process of giving evidence, which he believes is an attempt to mislead the public and authorities, as well as an act of intimidation.
He further mentioned that he is considering various legal actions, including lodging a report against the appropriate person, potentially the investigating officer, for making a false report and contempt of court. This remark was made before the hearing of Muhyiddin's case, where the former prime minister faces seven charges of abuse of power and money laundering before Judge Noor Ruwena Md Nurdin.
Mazery, a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigating officer, was scheduled to continue his testimony but instead offered an apology to the legal team, particularly Amer Hamzah, for the police report. He expressed that the report was made out of concern for an internal leak of information among MACC officers and to protect the department's integrity. Mazery assured that if no leak is found, the commission would withdraw the police report.
Amer Hamzah acknowledged the apology but could not fully accept the reasoning as long as the report remains in effect. Meanwhile, deputy public prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin argued that treating the police report as intimidation against the defence was excessive, noting Mazery's responsibility as an investigating officer to safeguard MACC's integrity.
Judge Noor Ruwena emphasized the seriousness of the matter, given that Mazery was still giving evidence. She instructed Mazery to confirm with his department those connected to the document and report. Later, Mazery informed the court that he had instructed his assistant to withdraw the report, satisfying the court that no testimony or documents originated from an MACC officer.
Judge Noor Ruwena accepted the witness's explanation and decided against initiating contempt of court proceedings, leaving it to the lawyer to decide on any further legal action.