Wan Saiful files bid to strike out JanaWibawa graft charges

Former Bersatu information chief Wan Saiful Wan Jan has filed an application to strike out two charges of soliciting and accepting bribes amounting to RM6.9 million involving the JanaWibawa project on the grounds that they are defective.

Lawyer Amer Hamzah Arshad, representing Wan Saiful as the applicant, told Sessions Court judge Rozina Ayob that the defence had filed the application under Section 173 (g) of the Criminal Procedure Code.

"My client would like to raise a preliminary objection to the charges he is facing, and this application is supported by the supporting affidavit and it has been submitted to the prosecution," Amer said during case management yesterday.

Deputy public prosecutor Mohd 'Afif Ali said the prosecution had received a copy of the application notice by email on May 29, and that it needed time to respond to the notice on or before June 9.
 
The court set June 27 to hear the application.

Wan Saiful, who is also the MP for Tasek Gelugor, filed the notice at the Sessions Court on May 29.

He is charged with soliciting a bribe from one Lian Tan Chuan as an inducement for him to help a company, Nepturis Sdn Bhd, secure the "Central Spine Road: Sertik to East Coast Expressway Interchange" project worth RM232 million from the government.

He is also charged with receiving RM6,962,694.54, which was transferred from a Maybank Islamic Bhd account owned by Nepturis Sdn Bhd into a CIMB Bank Bhd account owned by his company, WSA Advisory Group Sdn Bhd, as a reward for helping the company obtain a letter of acceptance for the project.

He is alleged to have committed both offences at the Royal Lake Club, Taman Tasik Perdana, in April 2022, and at CIMB Bank Bhd Bukit Tunku branch, Taman Tunku, Bukit Tunku between July 8, 2022, and Sept 30, 2022.