KUALA LUMPUR (July 13): Former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng's corruption trial involving the proposed Penang Undersea Tunnel started at the Sessions Court here today after his application for the trial to be transferred to the High Court was dismissed yesterday.
Today, Lim's case is being heard before Sessions Court judge Azura Alwi.
Representing Lim is lawyer Gobind Singh Deo while deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin is representing the prosecution.
Today, Gobind asked the court whether it was necessary for the defence to submit defence statements on all charges against Lim to the prosecution.
The court indicated that statements of defence are required for all the charges.
Gobind subsequently asked for an adjournment of about 30 minutes for him to email the defence statements to the prosecution.
Wan Shaharuddin subsequently confirmed the receipt of the emailed defence statements.
After Wan Shaharuddin confirmed the receipt of the emailed defence statements, the prosecution called its first witness, Datuk Geethanjali Gausillia Kathirvalu, who is businessman Gnanaraja Gnanasundram's wife.
It was reported that Gnanaraja was charged in court for his involvement in the Penang Undersea Tunnel project.
Lim is facing several charges including one involving his wife Betty Chew.
News reports on Sept 9, 2020 said Lim on that day claimed that the timing of two charges of dishonest misappropriation of property against him proved that the prosecution was "politically motivated", noting that filing of the charges at the Butterworth Sessions Court on Sept 11 came a day before nomination day for the Sabah state election on Sept 12.
It was reported on Sept 9 that Lim was facing the two charges under Section 403 of the Penal Code.
According to news reports, the two charges of dishonest misappropriation of property involving two plots of land collectively valued at RM208.75 million were linked to the Penang Undersea Tunnel project.
Prior to the two charges of dishonest misappropriation of property, Lim was charged three times in August 2020.
It was reported that two of Lim's criminal charges involved the undersea tunnel project while the other was related to Chew.
It was reported that Lim claimed trial at the Sessions Court here in August 2020 for one charge of soliciting a 10% cut of profit from the undersea tunnel project from Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd senior director Datuk Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli.
It was reported that Lim allegedly asked for the bribe at The Gardens Hotel & Residences within the Mid Valley City here in 2011.
It was reported that Lim was also charged at the Butterworth Sessions Court in Penang for abusing his position as a public officer to assist Zarul's company to be appointed to undertake the construction of main roads and the undersea tunnel, reportedly worth RM6.341 billion, to obtain a RM3.3 million bribe.
According to the report, Lim was alleged to have committed the crime between January 2011 and August 2017 at the KOMTAR Tower in Penang while he was chief minister of Penang.
Lim also faces another unrelated charge for abuse of power in relation to a bribe which was alleged to have been received by his wife Chew.
It was reported that Lim was charged for abusing his post as a public officer during his tenure as Penang chief minister and Penang Development Corp's tender committee chairman to ensure that Magnificent Emblem Sdn Bhd was given an invitation for the proposed workers' village project in Batu Kawan worth RM11.61 million.
It was reported that Chew was alleged to have received RM372,009 from Excel Property Management & Consultancy Sdn Bhd in relation to the project.