Forged Document April 18 Decision On Ex Sabah Minister S Appeal

---

 


Former Sabah infrastructure development minister Peter Anthony will know on April 18 whether he succeeds in his appeal to quash his conviction and sentencing in a forged document case.
The Kuala Lumpur High Court today set the decision date on the appellant’s appeal against his guilty verdict as well as a three-year jail sentence and RM50,000 fine in lieu of additional 15 months’ imprisonment.
Judge Ahmad Bache heard oral submissions from defence counsel S Devanandan and deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin over the appeal.
On May 26 last year, the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court found Peter (above), 52, guilty in a case involving the forging of a letter from the Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) deputy vice-chancellor's office for a system maintenance contract.
However, the lower court had allowed the defence team’s application for a stay of execution of the custodial sentence pending disposal of the appeal. The fine was paid.
Trial judge Azura Alwi ruled that the former Warisan member failed to raise reasonable doubt in the prosecution's case.
On Dec 14, 2021, the president of Sabah-based Kesejahteraan Demokratik Masyarakat (KDM) was ordered to enter his defence, after the lower court found that the prosecution had succeeded in establishing a prima facie (sufficient to establish a fact or presumption unless successfully rebutted) case against him.
According to the charge under Section 468 of the Penal Code, Peter, the then-managing director of Syarikat Asli Jati, was accused of forging a letter from the UMS deputy vice-chancellor's office dated June 9, 2014, by inserting a false statement with the intent of using it for fraudulent purposes.
He allegedly committed the offence at the office of the principal private secretary to the prime minister at the Perdana Putra building, Putrajaya, between June 13 and August 21, 2014. Conviction provides for imprisonment for up to seven years and a fine. - Mkini

---