The Kuala Lumpur High Court today sentenced former Federal Territories Minister Tengku Adnan Mansor to one year in jail after he was found guilty of receiving RM2 million from a businessman.

Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan also imposed a RM2 million fine on the Putrajaya MP, who just turned 70 yesterday, ruling that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt against Tengku Adnan.

The politician, who is popularly known as Ku Nan, however, managed to obtain a stay of execution and fine pending an appeal.

Earlier during mitigation, Tengku Adnan's counsel Tan Hock Chuan pleaded for the court to impose only a fine of less than RM2,000 against his client, as the latter was a first-time offender who had made "significant contributions" to the nation, especially in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur.

Article 48(1)(e) of the Federal Constitution stipulates that an elected representative is disqualified if he or she is convicted and sentenced to jail term of two years or more, and/or fined RM2,000 and more and has not received a free pardon.

Tan also claimed that his client suffered from various health issues, including hypertension, health and lung problems.

Deputy public prosecutor Julia Ibrahim, however, warned against leniency for the accused, and urged the court to impose a deterrent sentence.

"It was the accused himself who previously said that RM2 million is just pocket change for him. How can they say the fine should be less than RM2,000?

"MPs come and go... there can always be elections to appoint new MPs," the New Straits Times quoted her saying.

She further cited the case of former Selangor menteri besar Mohamad Khir Toyo, who was sentenced to a year in prison for committing a similar offence under which Tengku Adnan is charged.

Tengku Adnan was charged with committing an offence under Section 165 of the Penal Code, in his capacity of a civil servant (FT minister), with having received for himself RM2 million from Aset Kayamas Sdn Bhd (AKSB) director Chai Kin Kong.

A cheque for the amount was banked in by the company, into a CIMB account owned by Tadmansori Holdings Sdn Bhd (THSB), which Tengku Adnan has an interest in and is known to AKSB as being related to his official duties.

The offence was committed at the CIMB Bank Berhad in Pusat Bandar Damansara on June 14, 2016.


Source: NST
Photo source: Astro Awani