'ACA officer gave me RM3,000'

KUALA LUMPUR: G. Jayanti also testified on the documents she handed over to Shafee.

"During the course of my employment at V.K. Lingam & Co, I took possession of a group photograph of Vincent Tan and his wife, (former attorney-general) Datuk Mohtar Abdullah and his wife and Lingam and his wife.

"I also took possession of a photocopy of a Bank of Nova Scotia cheque for payment to Holiday Tours. These documents were given to Shafee to keep," she said.

Shafee asked whether Lingam had a direct communication line to Tan.

"Yes, there is a direct intercom from his room to Tan," replied Jayanti.
Further evidence on the ACA also came to light when she answered questions by her second counsel R.S.N. Rayes.

When Rayes asked Jayanti how many times she had given statements to the ACA, she said she had done so on three occasions in April 1998.

Rayes: Was this in respect of V.K. Lingam's alleged close relationship with judges?

Jayanti: Yes.

Rayes: After they concluded their investigations, did they tell you anything?

The courtroom was silent when Jayanti replied: "They told me about three months later that the file had to be closed because it involved high-ranking officers in the government. They then gave me RM3,000 cash."

Commission chairman Tan Sri Haidar Mohamed Noor interjected: "You took the money?" "Yes, I took it," replied Jayanti.

Rayes asked whether she knew the name of the ACA officer who had spoken to her.

"It was a Chinese gentleman, I don't remember his full name but it was Wong."

"Was his name perhaps Wong Chee Kong?" asked Rayes.

"Yes," replied Jayanti.

Rayes: The RM3,000 that was given to you, was it a reward or was it to quieten you?

Jayanti: Nothing was mentioned. It was just given to me.

Source: The New Straits Times