Judge Azura Alwi said she was upset over Lim’s statement to the media last Friday after the hearing ended.

Lim had told reporters that there was no money trail, and that businessman Zarul Ahmad Mohd Zulkifli’s claims against him were false.

Azura said she hoped it would not happen again.

“This matter happened when this case was first brought to court. I had said that parties in this case should not make any sub judice statements,” she said.

Deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin told the court a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officer had lodged a police report against Lim last week.

“We hope the court issues a warning against the accused person (Lim), so such a thing will not happen again,” he said.

Lead counsel Gobind Singh Deo told the court they accept the court’s reprimand.

“We apologise for any inconvenience,” he said.

Lim is on trial on charges of using his position to ask Consortium Zenith BUCG Sdn Bhd director Zarul for a 10% cut of the profits from the RM6.3 billion undersea tunnel project, and accepting RM3.3 million in kickbacks from the businessman.

He is also accused of two counts of dishonestly misappropriating RM208.7 million worth of state land to two companies.