Wan Saiful fails to quash Jana Wibawa corruption charges

Former Bersatu information chief Wan Saiful Wan Jan today failed in his application to quash two charges related to corruption amounting to RM6.9 million involving a Jana Wibawa project faced by him in the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court.

Judge Rozina Ayob rejected Wan Saiful's application and ordered the case to go to trial.

The court later set March 25 to 27, April 29 and 30, and May 20 to 22, 2024, for the trial, apart from fixing Dec 1 for case management.

Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Rasyidah Murni Azmi told the court that 27 prosecution witnesses would be called to testify.

On May 29, Wan Saiful, who is also the Tasek Gelugor MP, filed an application on the grounds that the charges were defective.

The case was also handled by deputy public prosecutor Mohd 'Afif Ali, while Wan Saiful was represented by counsel Amer Hamzah Arshad.

Wan Saiful, 48, is charged with soliciting money from Lian Tan Chuan as gratification for helping Nepturis Sdn Bhd obtain the Central Spine Road: Sertik to East Coast Expressway Junction project valued at RM232 million from the government of Malaysia via prequalification.

He was also charged with receiving bribes totaling RM6,962,694.54 through a CIMB Bank Berhad account owned by his company, WSA Advisory Group Sdn Bhd, from a Maybank Islamic Berhad account owned by Syarikat Nepturis Sdn Bhd as a reward for assisting Nepturis to obtain a letter of acceptance for the project.

Both acts were allegedly committed at Royal Lake Club, Taman Tasik Perdana here, in April 2022, and at CIMB Bank Berhad Bukit Tunku Branch, Taman Tunku, Bukit Tunku, Kuala Lumpur, between July 8, 2022, and Sept 30, 2022.

Meanwhile, Amer Hamzah, when met by reporters, said the defendant will not appeal against today's decision.