Tei’s lawyer Zaid Malek claimed that MACC officers forcefully entered the businessman’s home in Puchong before arresting him and ushering him out in handcuffs. Tei was brought back to the house minutes later.
However, Malaysiakini quoted another of Tei’s lawyer, Mahajoth Singh, as saying the graft-busters had a warrant to raid the businessman’s home.
In a statement, Zaid said MACC and police officers were both present at the home, and that he was denied his request to meet his client.
The Lawyers for Liberty director said this was a breach of Tei’s constitutional right to counsel.
“Subsequently, they brought Tei out handcuffed. He was surrounded by balaclava-clad armed officers. It was as if they were arresting a terrorist.
“The officers refused to identify themselves or state where Albert was being brought to,” he said.
In an update at 1.50pm, Zaid told FMT that Tei was taken away by MACC officers again around 12.50pm, and that his current whereabouts were not immediately known.
FMT has reached out to MACC for comment.
Tei and a woman named Sofia Rini Buyong were summoned to give their statements on Monday to assist in an investigation involving Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s former senior political secretary, Shamsul Iskandar Akin.
Tei, the businessman at the centre of the Sabah mining scandal, is currently facing trial on two counts of giving bribes.
In a recent video, he was seen speaking to a woman alleged to be Sofia, who purportedly claimed to act as a proxy for Shamsul.
Sofia has denied being Shamsul’s proxy, describing the allegations as “false and malicious”.
Earlier this week, Tei claimed he had spent RM629,000 on Shamsul, including renovations for properties linked to him, as well as premium cigars and custom-made suits, allegedly under the assurance that he could recover the funds channelled to Sabah politicians.
He also shared screenshots of WhatsApp conversations in which Shamsul purportedly requested foreign currency from him before travelling overseas.
Tei’s allegations surfaced shortly after Shamsul resigned as Anwar’s political secretary, citing attempts to use the controversy to tarnish his reputation and that of the government.