Parti Warisan Sabah vice-president Datuk Peter Anthony has been arrested again, this time for another corruption case involving an RM155 million land deal, which his lawyer said Anthony had been cleared in a previous probe by the police.
Anthony was arrested after he turned up at the MACC office in Kota Kinabalu at 10.25am on Friday, accompanied by lawyers Martin Tommy and Loretto Padua Jr. The latter is also Warisan’s secretary-general.
At 1.20pm, Anthony was taken in handcuffs to his home for a search and raid. Before being led to a car headed for his home, he was hugged by some supporters. He is expected to be remanded on Saturday.
Anthony, who arrived at the MACC office clad in a light blue and pink long-sleeved shirt, was questioned over a Rubber Industry Smallholders Association (Risda) RM155 million land transaction in Sabah’s Tongod district.
On Jan 3, MACC issued a notice asking Anthony to present himself within 48 hours to assist the investigation into the case.The following day, Anthony’s lawyer Martin Tommy said that police had probed the Tongod case several years ago and his client had been cleared.
It is learned that Risda, under the Rural and Regional Development Ministry, had appointed a legal firm to handle the purchase of land in Tongod.
The project had to be abandoned as it involved native customary land.
Risda was unable to get back the 10% deposit, amounting to some RM15 million, from the legal firm.
Tommy had said that Warisan president Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal, who was the minister that oversaw Risda at the time, had also given his statement over the issue.
Meanwhile, Anthony’s MACC bail over probe of the alleged embezzlement of RM1.5 billion rural project funds for Sabah will only expire on Jan 26.
Anthony was among 13 people, including Shafie, who was arrested last October in connection with the case.
Apart from these two cases, Anthony is being investigated for alleged misappropriation of funds regarding a Universiti Malaysia Sabah project.
Earlier report: Jan 4, Warisan VP Peter Anthony’s Lawyer Questions MACC Wanted Notice