KUALA LUMPUR: Perikatan Nasional (PN) lawmaker Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan has claimed that all corruption charges against him involving the Jana Wibawa scandal are defective.
The former Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) information chief has applied to strike out the charges at the Sessions Court here.
Wan Saiful in his affidavit in support said the charges against him did not state any specific date and time of the alleged offences.
He said it did not comply with the provisions under Section 153 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC).
The Tasek Gelugor member of parliament said the failure to provide the legally required particulars cast doubt on the allegations against him and severely prejudice his constitutional right to a fair trial.
"The defects in the charges have hindered me from adequately preparing my defence and to provide clear instructions to my counsel.
"The defects in the charges are not minor errors or oversights but rather material defects. These (defects) have caused confusion and raised questions about the actual offence and allegations against me," said the document.
Wan Saiful said these issues need to be resolved before the trial to avoid wasting the time, cost, and resources of all parties involved.
Judge Rozina Ayob during the case management today fixed June 27 to hear the application.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohd 'Afif Ali prosecuted while counsel Amer Hamzah Arshad appeared for Wan Saiful.
Wan Saiful, 47, is charged with soliciting a bribe from one Lian Tan Chuan as an inducement for him to help a company, Nepturis Sdn Bhd, secure the "Central Spine Road: Sertik to East Coast Expressway Interchange" project, worth RM232 million, from the Federal Government.
Wan Saiful is also charged with receiving RM6,962,694.54, which was transferred from a Maybank Islamic Bhd account owned by Nepturis Sdn Bhd into a CIMB Bank Bhd account owned by his company, WSA Advisory Group Sdn Bhd, as a reward for helping the company obtained a letter of acceptance for the project.
He is alleged to have committed both offences at the Royal Lake Club, Taman Tasik Perdana here, in April last year and at CIMB Bank Bhd Bukit Tunku branch, Taman Tunku, Bukit Tunku here, between July 8, and Sept 30 last year.