Zizie Izette Acquitted Of All Charges In RM2.8 Million Corruption Abetment Case

KUALA LUMPUR: The Sessions Court here today acquitted and discharged Datin Seri Zizie Izette Abdul Samad of all three charges of abetting corruption amounting to RM2.8 million involving a RM150 million investment in Public Mutual Berhad unit trusts, 11 years ago.

Judge Rosli Ahmad made the decision after finding that the defence had successfully raised reasonable doubt against the prosecution’s case at the end of the defence stage.

“After examining the entirety of the evidence, this court finds that the accused has successfully raised doubt in this case, and the prosecution has failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.

“As such, this court rules that the accused is acquitted and discharged of all three charges,” he said.

Zizie Izette, who is the wife of the late former Kinabatangan Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, was seen overcome with emotion after hearing the decision.

Rosli, in his judgment, said the prosecution was required to prove all the essential elements of the principal offence against the first accused, Bung Moktar, who passed away on December 5 last year.

“In this case, the charges against the first accused were withdrawn after his death. On that basis, the element of abetment could not be proven by the prosecution,” he said.

He said the accused (Zizie Izette) was also found to have had no knowledge of the investment, based on the evidence presented by both the defence and the prosecution.

According to him, the RM2.8 million alleged to be a bribe was actually merely an introduction fee, not a bribe, as the accused’s defence was consistent with the testimony of prosecution witness 24 (Norhaili Ahmad Mokhtar) and prosecution witness 25 (Madhi Abdul Hamid).

“Therefore, the accused did not abet through conspiracy or collusion, and the introduction fee was not a bribe,” said Rosli.

Meanwhile, Rosli said Zizie Izette in her defence claimed she had no knowledge of and was not involved in the late Bung Moktar’s official affairs as Chairman of Felcra Berhad.

He said to prove that claim, the defence referred to the testimony of the accused, the late Bung Moktar, and prosecution witness 26 (PW26, former Felcra Berhad Chief Financial Officer Mohd Azmy Abu Samah), which clearly showed that the accused was not involved in committing the abetment offence.

Rosli said the court found that the accused’s testimony was credible and consistent with the testimony of other prosecution witnesses.

“This finding further strengthens the defence’s claim that the accused is not guilty on the grounds that the accused only introduced PW24 and PW25 (Norhaili Ahmad Mokhtar and Madhi Abdul Hamid, both Public Mutual Berhad investment agents) to the late Bung Moktar and PW26.

“The accused did not expect that PW24 and PW25 would give an introduction fee as a result of their introduction session with the late Bung Moktar, and the introduction fee was given voluntarily.

“The accused did not inform the late Bung Moktar about the receipt of the introduction fee, and the late Bung Moktar had no knowledge of it. Furthermore, the accused did not interfere in the late Bung Moktar’s work and financial affairs, and the accused had no knowledge of Felcra Berhad’s investment in Public Mutual unit trusts,” he said.

On the issue of the introduction fee, Rosli said the defence argued that the introduction fee given by PW24 and PW25 to the accused was not a bribe.

He said the Sessions Court previously (Judge Rozina Ayob) at the prosecution case stage had ruled that the introduction fee was a bribe.

“Based on that explanation, this court finds that the issue had already been decided by the previous Sessions Court judge, and this court should not reconsider it as it would amount to a review of the previous judge’s decision,” he said.

Today’s proceedings were conducted by Deputy Public Prosecutors Law Chin How and Mohamad Fadhly Mohd Zamry, while Zizie Izette was represented by lawyers Datuk Seri K. Kumaraendran, Datuk M. Athimulan and Ridha Abdah Subri.

Mohamad Fadhly, when contacted, said his team would seek further instructions from the Attorney General on whether to appeal against today’s decision.

Zizie Izette was charged with three counts of abetting her husband to obtain cash bribes totalling RM2.8 million.

However, on January 16, the Sessions Court acquitted Bung Moktar of all three charges after the prosecution decided not to proceed with the case against the former politician, who passed away on December 5, 2025.

For the first charge, Zizie Izette was accused of abetting Bung Moktar, who was then Non-Executive Chairman of Felcra Berhad, to obtain a cash bribe of RM2.2 million from Public Mutual Berhad investment agent Madhi Abdul Hamid.

The bribe was alleged to be a reward for her husband to obtain approval from the Second Finance Minister for Felcra Berhad to invest RM150 million to participate in Public Mutual Berhad unit trust products.

For the second charge, Zizie Izette was accused of abetting Bung Moktar to obtain a cash bribe of RM262,500 from Madhi through a Public Islamic Treasures Growth Fund (PITGF) account registered in her name for the same purpose.

She was also accused of abetting her husband to obtain a bribe of RM337,500 from another Public Mutual Berhad investment agent, Norhaili Ahmad Mokhtar, through a Public Ittikal Sequel Fund (PITSEQ) account registered in her name for the same purpose.

All the offences were allegedly committed at Public Bank Berhad, Taman Melawati Branch here on June 12 and June 19, 2015, under Section 28(1)(c) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of five times the value of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

BERNAMA