Zarul had asked to use “fake” invoices and vouchers for Consortium Zenith to justify making payments to several entities.
A former company director told the sessions court in Lim Guan Eng’s Penang undersea tunnel corruption trial he was unaware if bribes had been given to the former chief minister.
Ibrahim Sahari said his former Consortium Zenith BUCG Sdn Bhd colleague, Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli, only mentioned the purported bribes after he was released from Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) remand in 2018.
“He (Zarul) did not tell me how many times the ‘bribes’ were paid or how they were given,” he said.
Ibrahim also told the court that Zarul had asked him and former finance manager Azli Adam to use “fake” invoices and vouchers for Consortium Zenith to justify making payments to several entities (Sinar Bina Consultancy Services, Bintang Ria Engineering, JKM Konsortium Sdn Bhd and Jurutera Konsult Maju Sdn Bhd).
“This was to avoid problems with the auditors,” he said.
Ibrahim also said he was acting in the company’s interest by following orders to prepare forged documents intended to disguise cash payments as bribes to Lim.
He said Zarul had instructed him to prepare “dummies” for payment vouchers and invoices used to disguise cash payments made by the company to its true recipient and intended purpose.
Yesterday, Azli told the court that Zarul had admitted to him that bribes were paid to Lim for the undersea tunnel project.
Under cross-examination by Gobind Singh Deo on whether Ibrahim had personally seen the purported transaction, the witness confirmed he did not see the process.
Gobind also asked Ibrahim questions pertaining to his admission that he and Azli had falsified invoices and payment vouchers for his former company.
Gobind: You know that falsifying documents is a criminal offence?
Ibrahim: Yes.
Gobind: You knew what Zarul did was wrong but you did not stop him?
Ibrahim: Yes.
The lawyer then suggested that Ibrahim, along with Azli and Zarul, had fabricated evidence before the court.
Ibrahim denied it and said: “I was only acting on (Zarul’s) instructions.”
Deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin told the court that Zarul would be available to testify on the next hearing date.
To that Gobind responded: “We (lawyers) are ready to cross-examine him.”
The hearing continues on July 25-27 before judge Azura Alwi.