Court Dismissed Appeal of 2 Former Judicial Officers

The Court of Appeal yesterday delivered its judgment in the appeal lodged by the Public Prosecutor and the Appellants, Ramzidah binti Pehin Datu Kesuma Diraja Retired Colonel Haji Abdul Rahman, First Appellant and Haji Nabil Daraina bin Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin, Second Appellant. The judgment was delivered by the Honourable President of the Court of Appeal Michael Peter Burrel who presided over the appeal together with Judicial Commissioners Justice Conrad Seagroatt and Michael Victor Lunn.

In delivering its judgment, the Court of Appeal dismissed the First Appellant’s appeal against conviction for offences of criminal breach of trust and money laundering. The Second Appellant’s appeal against conviction for money laundering offences and appeal for his sentence to be reduced were also dismissed. The Court of Appeal also dismissed the appeal made by the Public Prosecutor to overturn the acquittal of the Second Appellant on two charges of money laundering. Meanwhile, the Court of Appeal agreed with the Public Prosecutor’s appeal for the sentence to be enhanced in view the sentences imposed by the trial judge was manifestly inadequate and require significant increases.

The Court of Appeal increased The First Appellant’s sentence from 10 years imprisonment to 15 years imprisonment. On the other hand, the Second Appellant’s sentence was increased from 5 years to 7 years and 6 months imprisonment. The Public Prosecutor was represented by Dato Seri Setia Davinder Singh S.C who appeared by videolink from Singapore and assisted by Deputy Public Prosecutors Dayang Hajah Suriana Haji Radin, Dayangku Didi-Nuraza Pengiran Haji Abdul Latiff and Awang Muhammad Qamarul Affyian bin Abdul Rahman who appeared in the Brunei Darussalam Court. The Prosecution was also assisted by counsel from Davinder Singh Chambers LLC, Navin Thevar, David Fong, Tan Ruo Yu and Srruthi Ilankathir. Both Appellants were represented by Mr Simon Farrell QC who was assisted by Sheikh Noordin bin Sheikh Mohammad.

Source: Radio Television Brunei