KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 19): The Sessions Court on Monday granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) to Mudajaya Group Bhd’s (KL:MUDAJYA) former employee Michael Chua Khian Keng on the charge of misappropriating funds totalling RM800,000 from a power plant project.
The DNAA was granted to Chua on the grounds that the case had been ongoing for too long, the construction and property developer said in an exchange filing. Chua was slapped with the misappropriation charge in 2019.
“This decision was made following a request for an adjournment by the new deputy public prosecutor (DPP) to allow time for case preparation,” Mudajaya said.
"We are unsure whether the learned DPP will request for a reinstatement of the case, or file a revision to the High Court to revise the Session Court judge’s decision," it added.
Mudajaya was the subcontractor for civil and structural works in a RM720 million power plant contract that was awarded in June 2011.
The alleged misappropriation of funds was said to involve "multi-layered transactions", with funds transferred to a joint bank account held by Chua and his wife, Tan Kah Lua, as well as an individual bank account belonging to Chua's brother.
Mudajaya had also brought a separate civil suit against Chua and Tan in the High Court on the matter. The court, in its decision on June 7 this year, ruled that Chua and Tan are liable to pay RM43.55 million in relation to an acknowledged debt to Mudajaya.
On July 1, the couple filed an appeal against the High Court’s decision.
Mudajaya, on its part, had also filed an appeal against part of the court's decision, but the company did not elaborate on the details.
Shares in Mudajaya closed half a sen or 4.35% higher at 12 sen on Monday, valuing the company at RM305.60 million.