Ex-Minister's Corruption Case Resumes Today
By Ignatius Stephen

Bandar Seri Begawan - The $11 million corruption case against Brunei's former minister Pengiran Dato Dr Haji Ismail bin Pengiran Haji Damit and his alleged accomplice Wong Tim Kai, a leading contractor, is due to resume today (Monday) in the High Court. The ongoing case, which has been postponed several times, was heard last July.

The two were first charged in February last year and the case has been going on ever since Pengiran Dr Haji Ismail was' the Sultanate's Development Minister and a member of the cabinet.

Under him a number of major projects were carried out in quick succession, which transformed the face of the country. But in May 2001 he was dismissed and some time later he and Wong, who headed Ted Sdn Bhd a leading civil and building contractors, were charged.

The 58-year-old ex-minister came to office more than 20 years ago on Brunei's independence and had been responsible for all major development projects until his departure.

Both the minister and Wong are pleading not guilty and some of Malaysia's best lawyers have been engaged as defence counsels.

The former minister faces 17 charges and Wong 14 before Chief Justice Dato Mohd Saied. They could be jailed 10 years and fined $30,000 if found guilty.

Malaysian top lawyer Christopher Fernando, who featured in the famous former Malaysian minister Anwar Ibrahim's sodomy case is appearing for Pengiran Ismail. Ahmad Basuni Abas ofAbrahams Davidson is also assisting the court.

Another leading lawyer, former President of the Malaysian Bar Council Maneet Singh Dhillion, is appearing for Wong together with another well-known Malaysian lawyer Balwant Singh Sidhu. Mr Rudi Lee is the local solicitor.

The prosecution is led by Andrew C MacRee, a senior council from Hong Kong. He is being assisted by DPP Aldillah Hj Mohd Salleh amd Ms Maggie Wong also from Hong Kong.

The charges against the ex-minister are:

1. Agreed to accept a house
2. Accepted a gratification of $465,000
3. Accepted a gratification in the form of 1.752 hectares of land
4. Agreed to accept a gratification of eight (8) residential houses
5.  Accepted a gratification of $150,000 deposit for the purchase of a piece of land at Kg Katok
6. Accepted a gratification in the form of a letter of guarantee as a security for a loan  of $1,350,000 at a bank
7. Accepted a gratification in the form of a deposit of $50,000
8.  Agreed to accept a gratification in the form of loan guarantee as a security for a bank loan
9. Accepted a gratification totalling $3,928,322.11 in repayment for a bank loan
10. Agreed to accept a gratification namely a forbearance to demand the full purchase price of a shop house for his daughter.

Under Section 165 of the Penal Code, seven Charges were made against Pengiran Dr Hj Ismail bin Pengiran Hj Damit as the Minister of Development;

1. Agreed to accept a house
2. Accepted rental in the amount of $465,000
3. Agreed to accept a piece of land with a size of 1.752 hectares
4. Agreed to accept eight (8) houses
5. Accepted for himself a valuable thing, namely, a total of B$$3,928,322.11 in repayments of his loan with a bank
6. Accepted a valuable thing namely, a letter of guarantee as a security for his loan of B$1,350,000 at a bank for a housing development project
7. Agreed to accept for his daughter a shop house.

All the above offences were committed between July 1992 and May 2001.

Meanwhile Wong Tim Kai was pressed with 10 charges - under Section 6 (b) of the Prevention of Corruption Act (Cap 131) for having given and agreed to give gratifications to Pengiran Dr Hj Ismail bin Pg Hj Damit in relation to the corresponding charges madeagainst the ex-minister. Wong was also charged with seven offences for having given or agreed to give valuable things to Pengiran Dr Hj Ismail.  -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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