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Written judgment in Guan Eng’s dormitory graft case set for June 12
Predeep Nambiar
The High Court will explain its reasons for rejecting an application by the former Penang chief minister and two others to have charges struck out

Lim Guan Eng, wife Betty Chew, and businesswoman Phang Lee Khoon are accused of corruption in connection with a dormitory project between 2013 and 2016.
GEORGE TOWN: The High Court here has set June 12 to issue its written judgment to explain why it refused to dismiss the charges brought against Lim Guan Eng and two others in connection with a RM11.6 million foreign workers’ dormitory project.
Judge Rofiah Mohamad said the court’s written decision would be released to facilitate an appeal by the former chief minister, his wife Betty Chew, and businesswoman Phang Li Koon.
The appeal is scheduled to come before the Court of Appeal four days later.
Rofiah had dismissed the trio’s application to strike out the charges in an oral ruling handed down on May 3 last year.
She dismissed the trio’s assertions that they had been subjected to double jeopardy, saying an earlier case had not led to any judicial determination.
“There’s a major difference in the alleged offence that took place, and it involved different persons. The case must go on,” she said.
Rofiah said although 25 witnesses had testified in a 2016 trial involving Lim, there was no court ruling based on the evidence as the prosecution had withdrawn the charges.
The judge said the attorney-general had full discretion to prosecute any person, and that any challenge to that decision must be made through judicial review. She also ordered an extension of the accused’s existing bail.
Lim, Chew, and Phang face charges under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, to which they pleaded not guilty after the case was transferred from the Butterworth sessions court.
According to the charges, Lim is alleged to have provided gratification to ensure that a company linked to Phang secured a dormitory project between 2013 and 2016, while Chew is accused of laundering the proceeds in three instalments.
Lim, Chew, and Phang had pleaded not guilty to all the charges levelled against them.
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