Kedah MB's ex-political secretary ordered to enter defence in rare earths bribery case
KUALA LUMPUR: The Sessions Court today ordered Mohamad Hilmi Abdul Wahab, former political secretary to the Kedah Menteri Besar, to enter his defence on two charges of soliciting and accepting bribes in connection with rare earth element (REE) mining projects three years ago.
The former political secretary to the Kedah Menteri Besar, Mohamad Hilmi Abdul Wahab, has been ordered to enter his defence in a bribery case involving rare earth element (REE) mining projects. The Sessions Court ruled that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against Mohamad Hilmi, 53, on two charges of soliciting and accepting bribes.
The court found that the prosecution had successfully presented enough evidence to warrant the accused entering his defence. Deputy public prosecutor Natrah Fareha Rahmat represented the prosecution, while Mohamad Hilmi's lawyer was Syed Naqiuddin Shahab. Mohamad Hilmi pleaded not guilty to two charges: soliciting a RM250,000 cash bribe from REE Mining Group Sdn Bhd director Liana Mamat @ Khalid, and accepting a RM150,000 cash bribe for the same purpose.
The charges are under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, carrying a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment and a fine of up to RM10,000 multiplied by the bribe amount, whichever is higher. The court scheduled four days, starting from October 9, for the defence proceedings, which began on November 20, 2023.
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