COURT ALLOWS APPLICATION BY ADAM ASMUNI TO SUBMIT NEW EVIDENCE IN APPEAL OVER FOREFEITURE OF SEIZED ITEMS

KUALA LUMPUR, May 21 (Bernama) -- The High Court here today allowed an application by former Bersatu Youth Chief Adam Asmun to submit new evidence, namely bank account statements, in his appeal over the forfeiture of a luxury car and goods that were seized by authorities during a drug raid.

Judge K. Muniandy made the ruling after hearing the submissions by Adam’s lawyer, Amirrul (rpt: Amirrul) Jamaluddin, and Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohamad Shahrizat Amadan.

In his submission, Amirrul said the bank account statements from 2014 to 2019 of his Adam’s company, Percetakan Alfa Gemilang, could be used as evidence to support his appeal against the forfeiture order issued by the Sessions Court judge on March 14, 2023 under Section 32 (2) of the Dangerous Drugs (Forfeiture of Property) Act 1988.

"The bank account statements are relevant in the appeal to show my client's strong financial status, where his income is from the Percetakan Alfa Gemilang. The company is legitimate and has obtained many tenders worth tens and millions of ringgit from the government.

"Therefore, the seized assets are also from legitimate sources," he said.

Amirrul also told the court that the bank account statements could not be obtained earlier,  but only in February 2024 and were handed over to him the following March (March).

Mohamad Shahrizhat, who objected to the application, said the bank account statements should have been submitted during the forfeiture hearing proceedings at the Sessions Court two years ago.

Judge Muniandy then set June 30 for the hearing of the appeal regarding the forfeiture case.

On March 14, 2023, Judge Nor Hasniah Ab Razak dismissed the application by Adam and his wife, Lyiana Roslee, to recover the BMW X5 and BMW 328i cars and other items including cash, cars, motorcycles, luxury watches, handbags, laptops, bracelets, necklaces, and Amanah Saham Nasional Bhd (ASNB) accounts.

Last January, Adam was sentenced to seven years in prison and 10 strokes of the cane by the Shah Alam High Court after pleading guilty to an optional charge of possessing cannabis.

Adam is currently in Kajang Prison. However, Lyiana was released and acquitted of the charges after the prosecution withdrew the charges.

-- BERNAMA