Deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin said Anthony, who is Melalap assemblyman, could be in court on Sept 20 because there is no sitting of the assembly while he could be exempted the next day when the Sabah governor opens the meeting with a speech.
“He could return to attend the meeting on Sept 22 and Sept 23 after his case for this session is over,” he added.
He said the MACC in Sabah had verified with the state assembly on its schedule from Sept 21 to Sept 23.
“We are hoping to close the prosecution’s case next week after Anthony’s lawyers complete cross-examining our witnesses from Sabah,” he told FMT.
Wan Shaharuddin said this in response to Anthony’s lawyers, who had written to the court to postpone the trial as he would be involved in the state assembly meeting from Sept 21 to Sept 23.
Sessions judge Azura Alwi had earlier refused the postponement but allowed Anthony to be absent from the trial as allowed under Section 264 of the Criminal Procedure Code because he is represented by lawyers.
Anthony said in his letter to the court last week that he had to be present to give instructions to his lawyers who will be cross-examining the three prosecution witnesses.
He said the adjournment would not prejudice the prosecution’s case.
“I do not intend to delay the trial but in the interest of justice, I do not agree that the trial proceed without my presence,” he said.
Anthony wants the trial to be heard on Sept 29 and 30, another set of dates fixed earlier.
Wan Shaharuddin in the past had also raised in court that Anthony was employing delay tactics as he had applied for several postponements since he was charged in July last year.
He had told Azura that he could not tolerate it any more as the case involved several witnesses in their 70s who needed to travel from Sabah to attend the proceedings here.
Anthony, whose trial began in April, is charged with using a forged document as genuine while he was the managing director of Asli Jati Engineering Sdn Bhd.
This was in relation to a purported collaboration with Universiti Malaysia Sabah to fund and set up a mechanical and electrical technical training centre via direct negotiations in July 2014.
He was a minister when Warisan ruled the state government from May 2018 till September 28 last year.