What did the Court of Appeal decide on Lim Guan Eng’s strike-out bid?

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Court of Appeal Dismisses Lim Guan Eng's Application to Strike Out Corruption Charges

The Court of Appeal has dismissed an application by Lim Guan Eng, his wife Betty Chew, and businesswoman Phang Li Koon to strike out corruption and money laundering charges. This decision allows the trio to proceed to trial for the charges they face. The appeal was primarily concerned with whether the existing charges should be invalidated due to alleged abuse of process and the use of evidence connected to a previous bungalow purchase case.
Grounds for the Strike-Out Application

The application to strike out the charges was based on allegations of abuse of process and the utilisation of evidence purportedly linked to an earlier case. This earlier case involved Lim Guan Eng's purchase of a bungalow on Jalan Pinhorn, Penang, for which he was acquitted and discharged in 2018. The appellants argued that these factors warranted the dismissal of the current charges.
Previous High Court Ruling

Prior to the Court of Appeal's decision, the Penang High Court had also dismissed the application on May 3, 2024. The High Court ruled that the principle of double jeopardy did not apply in this instance, indicating that the legal threshold for such a defence had not been met. This ruling set the stage for the matter to be heard at the appellate level.
Nature of the Charges

Lim Guan Eng faces charges related to allegedly using his position as the former Penang chief minister and chairman of the Penang Development Corporation tender board to gain gratification. This gratification is linked to the approval of a foreign workers' hostel project valued at RM11.6 million. Phang Li Koon is accused of conspiring with Lim in this offence. Meanwhile, Betty Chew is charged with three counts of money laundering, involving RM372,009 allegedly received from Excel Property Management & Consultancy Sdn Bhd between 2013 and 2016.

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What did the Court of Appeal decide on Lim Guan Eng’s strike-out bid?

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