KUALA LUMPUR: Former commercial crime investigation department director Datuk Ramli Yusuf  revealed yesterday that former deputy public prosecutor Datuk Nordin Hassan was responsible for his corruption prosecution in 2007.

Ramli said he did not mention in his witness statement who from the Anti-Corruption Agency had conspired with his then boss, former inspector-general of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Musa Hassan, to fix him.

The anti-graft body’s name was changed to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in 2009.

“It is Nordin Hassan although I did not personally refer to him in my witness statement,” he said when cross-examined by lawyer Tan Sri Cecil Abraham in a RM20 million suit brought by lawyer Rosli Dahlan against the MACC.

Ramli, who is a witness for Rosli, said that was the reason he included Nordin as a defendant in a RM128.5 million lawsuit for malicious prosecution in 2011.

The 10 defendants in Ramli’s lawsuit include Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail and Musa.

Nordin, then from the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC), was seconded to the MACC where he was the head of prosecution.

He is now a judicial commissioner in a Penang High Court.

In 2009, Ramli was acquitted by a Sessions Court of three counts of failing to disclose information on the ownership of shares in Telekom Malaysia Bhd, Permaju Industries Bhd and two office lots worth RM1.032 million.

Rosli, a close friend of Ramli, is suing MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed, his officers and the government for conspiracy to injure his reputation, assault and false imprisonment.

Rosli also filed a defamation suit against Abu Kassim.

Ramli told the court yesterday that MACC first charged Rosli in 2007 to prevent the lawyer from helping him.

“I was the prime suspect but they targeted him. This was to prevent Rosli from helping me.”

He said Rosli suffered collateral damage and became a victim of MACC and the prosecution because he had earlier assisted Ramli in preparing affidavits in response to a habeas corpus application filed by Goh Cheng Poh, an underworld kingpin.

Goh, better known as Tengku Goh from Johor, was detained by police for his alleged involvement in gambling and money laundering.

On Wednesday, Ramli told the court that the AGC refused to prepare affidavits for him and his officers to oppose Goh’s application.

Ramli, under cross examination, said Gani had called him to his office to discuss Goh’s matter and at the meeting, then deputy IGP Tan Sri Mohd Najib Abdul Aziz and then head of prosecution in the AGC, Datuk Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden were also present.

He said at the meeting he was asked to deliver a file that contained confidential information about informants who provided statements against Goh.

“The deputy IGP instructed me to hand over the file to the AGC and I did under protest because only the home minister could have access to such a document,” he said.

Re-examined by Rosli’s counsel Chetan Jethwani, Ramli said he protested the file being handed over to the AGC because it was highly confidential and only the case file officer was privy to its contents.

Ramli also said as a result of Musa and Gani’s collusion to remove him from the police hierarchy and the corruption charge, he was denied promotions.

He said the Police Force Commission in 2006 identified him to be a potential candidate for the post of IGP.

The hearing before judge Datuk Su Geok Yiam was adjourned till June 8. — The Malaysian Insider

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on May 29, 2015.