Forensic report of WhatsApp messages received, say Guan Eng’s lawyers

The prosecution in the corruption case involving former Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng has handed over the forensic report of WhatsApp conversations between two businessmen to the defence team.

Deputy public prosecutor Farah Yasmin Salleh told Sessions Court judge Azura Alwi, during the mention of the case today, that the document was submitted on April 18.

Lim’s counsel Haijan Omar confirmed receipt of the document.

The forensic report involved WhatsApp exchanges between businessman G Gnanaraja and Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd (CZCSB) director, Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli regarding the "RM2 million chocolate gift" which was allegedly given to Lim as a bribe.

The exchanges were previously revealed through the testimony of the MACC forensic investigating officer assistant superintendent Wan Mohd Firdaus Wan Yusof.
 
Lim, 61, is facing an amended charge of using his position as the chief minister of Penang to accept a bribe of RM3.3 million in helping a company owned by Zarul to obtain a construction project worth RM6,341,383,702 at the office of the chief minister of Penang, 28th floor, Komtar, Georgetown between January 2011 and August 2017.

For the second amended charge, Lim is accused of soliciting a bribe from Zarul, namely 10% of the company’s profits, as an inducement for obtaining the project and is accused of committing the act near The Gardens Hotel, Lingkaran Syed Putra, Mid Valley City in March 2011.

Lim also faces two charges of causing two plots of land worth RM208.8 million owned by the Penang government to be disposed of to two companies allegedly linked to the state’s undersea tunnel project. 

He is alleged to have committed the offence at the Penang land and mines office, 21st floor, Komtar on Feb 17, 2015 and March 22, 2017.

The trial continues on July 18.