KOTA KINABALU: Two politically influential brothers had their day in court – one was freed on bail while the other will be detained further over a corruption probe.
Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal will have to spend another four days in the lock-up to assist anti-graft investigators over the alleged skimming of RM1.5bil in rural development funds.
Yesterday, the Parti Warisan Sabah president failed to quash the original remand order by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) at the High Court.
His team of lawyers had challenged the legality of the first remand order.
He also contended that the MACC’s grounds in seeking the remand order for the purpose of interrogating his client was not valid in law.
Judicial Commissioner Ismail Brahim disagreed with the arguments, saying that the remand order on Oct 20 was valid.
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Day in court: MACC officers escorting Mohd Shafie to the magistrate court in Kota Kinabalu.
Shortly after, Mohd Shafie was brought before magistrate Cindy Macjuce Balitus, who granted the extension until Friday.
His wife Datin Seri Shurani Shuaib, who appeared emotional, and their son Mohd Shezwi hugged him as he was being taken out of the courtroom.
Meanwhile, Mohd Shafie’s younger brother Yusof was freed on a RM100,000 bail after being held for six days to assist in the same probe.
The Umno Lahad Datu assemblyman was arrested by the MACC on Oct 17.
More than a dozen supporters greeted him as he emerged from the court.
Later, a big crowd of supporters, clad in orange T-shirts, waited for Mohd Shafie to arrive and cheered him on.
The former minister was the 10th person held over the alleged skimming of federal project allocations in Sabah through the Rural and Regional Development Ministry.
The MACC is expected to make more arrests as it sifts through about 350 projects that were given to some 60 companies between the period 2009 and 2015.
The money was allegedly siphoned from RM7.5bil worth of project funds.
So far, some RM170mil in bank accounts and assets of some of the companies have been frozen.
Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2017/10/24/shafie-gets-longer-remand-his-brother-is-freed-on-bail/#lPR4oeiCu7WDjbGZ.99
