Timeline of Bung Moktar and Zizie Izette’s RM2.8m graft case as court orders defence

PUTRAJAYA, Nov 18 — The Court of Appeal today remitted the RM2.8 million corruption case involving Kinabatangan MP Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin and his wife, Datin Seri Zizie Izette Abdul Samad, to the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court for them to enter their defence.

A three-judge panel comprising Justices Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim, Datuk Mohamed Zaini Mazlan, and Datuk Noorin Badaruddin allowed the prosecution’s appeal against the couple’s acquittal by the Kuala Lumpur High Court on Sept 7, 2023.

The timeline of the case is as follows:

May 3, 2019: Bung Moktar was charged at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court with three counts of receiving RM2.8 million in bribes, while actress Zizie Izette faced three charges of abetting her husband.

July 4, 2019: The prosecution applied to transfer Bung Moktar and Zizie Izette’s case to the Kuala Lumpur High Court.

Aug 9, 2019: The High Court dismissed the prosecution’s application to transfer the corruption case against Bung Moktar and Zizie Izette to the High Court.

Jan 2, 2020: The first day of Bung Moktar and Zizie Izette’s trial at the Sessions Court.

May 17, 2022: The prosecution closed its case after calling 30 witnesses, with oral submissions scheduled for June 24, 2022.

June 24, 2022: The Sessions Court set Sept 2, 2022, for its decision at the end of the prosecution’s case.

Sept 2, 2022: The Sessions Court ordered Bung Moktar and Zizie Izette to enter their defence.

Sept 19, 2022: Bung Moktar and Zizie Izette filed an application at the High Court seeking a review of the Sessions Court’s decision ordering them to enter their defence.

Sept 23, 2022: The High Court granted Bung Moktar and Zizie Izette’s application to stay the defence proceedings pending the outcome of their review.

Dec 9, 2022: The High Court dismissed Bung Moktar and Zizie Izette’s application to review the Sessions Court’s decision requiring them to enter their defence.

Dec 12, 2022: Bung Moktar and Zizie Izette filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal against the High Court’s decision to dismiss their application to review the Sessions Court’s ruling.

Jan 3, 2023: The High Court again allowed Bung Moktar and Zizie Izette’s application to stay the defence proceedings.

July 7, 2023: The Court of Appeal referred Bung Moktar and Zizie Izette’s application for review to the High Court for a decision on its merits.

Sept 7, 2023: The High Court acquitted and discharged Bung Moktar and Zizie Izette of three corruption charges.

Sept 15, 2023: The prosecution filed an appeal against the couple’s acquittal at the Court of Appeal.

May 3, 2024: The prosecution submitted seven grounds in its appeal petition.

July 29, 2024: The hearing of the prosecution’s appeal against the acquittal of Bung Moktar and Zizie Izette was postponed to Oct 9, 2024.

Oct 9, 2024: The Court of Appeal set Nov 18 (today) to deliver its decision on the prosecution’s appeal after hearing submissions from both parties. — Bernama