Former TH COO claims trial over renovation costs for 3 houses

Former Tabung Haji (TH) chief operating officer (COO) Adi Azuan Abdul Ghani has claimed trial at the sessions court here to three charges of receiving renovation costs totalling RM302,499.27 for three houses nine years ago.

Adi, 56, made the plea before judge Awang Kerisnada Awang Mahmud.

All three charges were framed under Section 165 of the Penal Code. The section makes it an offence for a public servant to obtain valuables without consideration. Those found guilty can be jailed for up to two years and fined.

According to the charges, Adi, who was then TH’s COO, received valuable items in the form of renovation costs for three houses from AG Reka Sdn Bhd director Thamsulazri Ismail.

The renovation costs comprised RM235,866.58 for a house in Jalan Polo Air 13/58B, Section 13, Shah Alam; RM50,698.74 for a house in Jalan Sepah Puteri 5/20B, Kota Damansara; and RM15,933.95 for a house in Jalan USJ Heights 2/2A, Subang Jaya.

The offences were allegedly committed on March 7, 2017.

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) deputy public prosecutor Muaz Ahmad Khairuddin proposed bail of RM70,000.

However, defence lawyer Wan Azwan Aiman Wan Fakhruddin appealed for the amount to be reduced to RM30,000, saying his client supports four sons aged between 12 and 25 who are still studying.

“My client retired last year and also cooperated with MACC in its investigations in 2018 and last month,” he said.

The lawyer also applied for Adi’s passport to be returned as he plans to perform the umrah, adding that Adi requires treatment for a heart condition.

The court granted Adi bail of RM50,000 with two sureties and ordered him to report to the MACC office every three months, surrender his passport to the court and refrain from contacting or interfering with witnesses.

Proceedings against Adi were initially postponed after he was admitted to Universiti Malaya Medical Centre on Aug 31 due to a heart-related condition.

Adi was remanded for four days by MACC in December 2018 to assist investigations into the use of an interior design contractor linked to TH for renovation work at his home.

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