KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 15): Former Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd (BNS) managing director Tan Sri Ahmad Ramli Md Nor has been directed by the Sessions Court on Thursday to undergo psychiatric evaluation at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) to see whether the 80-year-old is fit to undergo trial.
The directive was issued by Sessions Court judge Suzana Hussin, after the three criminal breach of trust charges which Ahmad Ramli faced were read to him again and the court received further private medical reports over his condition.
This came as Ahmad Ramli maintained in claiming trial to the charges, despite him admitting before Suzana that while he understood literally about the charges he faced, he did not understand the details of it.
The former navy chief also said that his health had deteriorated since 2018, and he has been in and out of hospital, citing work pressure as the cause.
Following that, Suzana asked Ahmad Ramli to meet her in her chambers, along with his lawyers and deputy public prosecutors, for the court to assess the situation.
After his medical records were presented, Suzana instructed Ahmad Ramli to undergo psychiatric evaluation at HKL.
In addition, Ahmad Ramli’s lead counsel Datuk Yusof Zainal Abiden told the court that they had filed a notice of appeal on July 31, over the High Court’s decision last month not to strike out the CBT charges.
“This is beside the fact that we had submitted medical reports over our client’s position,” added Yusof, who appeared with lawyers Alex Tan, Datuk Abdul Rahim Uda, and Md Yunos Sharif.
Earlier, Deputy Public Prosecutor Nik Haslinie Hashim, who appeared with DPP Mahadi Jumaat, informed Suzana that the High Court had dismissed Ahmad Ramli’s application to strike out the charge.
Following this development, Suzana fixed Oct 28 for HKL to come back with a report on whether Ahmad Ramli is fit to stand trial or otherwise.
Charged with CBT
Ahmad Ramli was charged in August 2022 with the three counts of CBT, in his capacity as the then-BNS managing director, under Section 409 of the Penal Code, involving the fraudulent approval for payments to three companies amounting to RM21.08 million without the requisite approval of the company’s board of directors.
BNS, an indirect subsidiary of Boustead Holdings Bhd (KL:BSTEAD), is controlled by the Armed Forces Fund Board (LTAT).
The first CBT charge the accused faces involves fraudulently approving a RM13.54 million payment to Setaria Holding Ltd between July 26, 2010, and March 25, 2011.
Meanwhile, the remaining two CBT charges involve the fraudulent approvals for a RM1.36 million payment to JSD Corp Pte Ltd between April 19, 2011, and May 4, 2011, as well as a RM6.18 million payment to Sousmarin Armada Ltd between Oct 28, 2010, and Nov 22, 2010.
The High Court had on July 26 dismissed Ahmad Ramli’s application to strike out the charges, as High Court judge Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid had ruled that the accused’s mental state should be determined by the trial judge, Suzana.
“This is an application seeking for this court to exercise its inherent power to quash the charges [...]. The application is dismissed and is remitted back to the Sessions Court for the trial judge to make a determination [of the applicant’s mental fitness],” Azhar said in his brief decision.
Ahmad Ramli’s daughter had affirmed an affidavit citing that her father is suffering from “progressive neurodegenerative disorder” and had a condition akin to moderate mixed dementia.