THE High Court ordered former Minister of Development YAM Pg Indera Wijaya Pg Dr Hj Ismail Pg Hj Damit to pay almost $5 million in restitution and court costs to the Brunei government within 100 days or face another year in prison, in addition to the seven years he has already been sentenced.
YAM Pg Indera Wijaya Pg Dr Hj Ismail was ordered to pay $566,801 in default of six-months’ imprisonment to cover 90 per cent of the prosecution’s costs during the trial.
The other 10 per cent will be borne by co-defendant Wong Tim Kai.
It was announced during the ex-minister’s judgement on Wednesday that he must also make restitution to the Brunei government in the amount of $4,219,242, in default of 12 months’ imprisonment.
Queen’s Counsel Andrew Macrae told The Brunei Times the amount in restitution roughly equalled the value of a shophouse and eight residences that YAM Pg Indera Wijaya Pg Dr Hj Ismail received from Wong Tim Kai as inducements to award government contracts to TED Sdn Bhd.
If the former minister fails to pay either sum, he will serve the default sentences, concurrently.
YAM Pg Indera Wijaya Pg Dr Hj Ismail is estimated to have received $11 million in kickbacks in the form of cash, property and land.
To date, only $1.8 million of his assets have been seized by the Anti-Corruption Bureau.
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