Former MOSTI sec-gen acquitted of graft
SHAH ALAM, March 30 — The Sessions Court here today cleared former Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry secretary-general Datuk Abdul Hanan Alang Endut of 10 bribery charges without requiring his defence, Bernama Online reported.
Judge M. Bakri Abd Majid ruled that prosecutors had not established a prima facie case against the 60-year-old, and granted Abdul Hanan a full acquittal.
Abdul Hanan was previously charged with taking a total of RM59,390.60 in bribes from Global Goodway (M) Sdn Bhd as inducement to approve the firm’s TechnoFund application in December 2008.
The former senior civil servant would have been liable to a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine for each of the charges proffered under Section 11(a) of the Anti Corruption Act 1997.
In making his ruling today, Bakri said the testimony and documentary evidence produced by Adam Omar that the amount was a loan and not bribes for the ex-ministry official had cast doubt on the prosecution.
Adam is the representative of Global Goodway accused of offering the bribes to Abdul Hanan.
During his testimony, Adam had also said he had previously tried to bribe Abdul Hanan with RM300,000 which he said the latter had refused.
