Did businessman Gnanaraja threaten witness Zarul Ahmad with prosecution?

Question

Accepted Answer

Businessman Gnanaraja Threatened Witness with Prosecution Over Undersea Tunnel Project Link

Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd senior executive director Datuk Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli testified in court that businessman G. Gnanaraja threatened him with criminal prosecution via WhatsApp messages. These threats, which mentioned Zarul Ahmad's name and identification number, specifically alluded to Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA) proceedings, leading Zarul Ahmad to confirm that he made payments as a result of these intimidations.
WhatsApp Threats Mentioned AMLA Proceedings

During cross-examination, Zarul Ahmad confirmed receiving WhatsApp messages from Gnanaraja that contained threats of AMLA proceedings. He stated that his name and identification number were included in these messages, and he understood them to imply that he would be charged. This exchange was part of a line of questioning regarding purported conversations between Zarul Ahmad and Gnanaraja between May 2017 and January 2018.
Payments Made Due to Threats

Zarul Ahmad explicitly affirmed that the threats of criminal charges were a reason for him making payments. When directly asked if he made the payments because of these threats, he responded affirmatively. While he later disagreed that it was the sole reason, he did not elaborate on any other contributing factors for the payments.
Gnanaraja's Introduction and Subsequent Charges

Gnanaraja was introduced to Zarul Ahmad by former minister Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz. Gnanaraja has since faced legal repercussions, including being charged with cheating Zarul Ahmad. Furthermore, his state award, which carried the title "Datuk," was revoked by the Pahang Palace in 2019.
Allegations of Deception for RM19 Million Payment

The core accusation against Gnanaraja is that he deceived Zarul Ahmad into paying him RM19 million. This sum was allegedly paid in exchange for Gnanaraja's purported influence in settling an ongoing Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) probe into Consortium Zenith Construction Sdn Bhd. The company was the main contractor for the RM6.34 billion Penang undersea tunnel project. Zarul Ahmad had previously told the court that he had paid RM19 million to individuals claiming to represent the "powers that be" to halt graft investigations against his company.

Reading history

Hide →

This history is cleared when the page is closed.

Did businessman Gnanaraja threaten witness Zarul Ahmad with prosecution?

Loading

Was this article helpful?

Helpful

Not helpful

Report an issue

1

0

0

Share with friends