In one fell-swoop, Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail yesterday cleared two individuals - former ACA chief Zulkifli Mat Noor and Inspector-General of Police Musa Hassan of corruption.

In Zulkifli's case, Gani explained that the investigation process did not show any criminal element in the form of practices, conduct or omission by Zulkifli or any other abuse of power.

Gani, in a statement to Bernama explained that 43 witnesses, including whistleblower Mohamad Ramli Abdul Manan were interviewed in the course of investigation.

The investigations conducted into Zulkifli's sources of finance showed that:

1 The loans given to his children for business were through savings from emoluments (allowances, salary and ASB investments).

2 Zulkifli saved almost 40 percent of his income and they showed that there was reason to believe he had the capability to accumulate the savings which were loaned to his children.

3 Zulkifli acknowledged that he gave the loans to his children in fulfilling his responsibility as a father wanting to see his children lead a successful life.

4 Investigations into sexual misconduct by Zulkifli, undertaken in 1997 were referred to the deputy public prosecutor but the cases were declared NFA (no further action) for lack of evidence.

'No documentary evidence'

"The investigations showed that Ramli's allegations against Zulkifli were only assumptions. Ramli was unable to support his accusations with documentary evidence," said Gani.

"Ramli did not have valid information and had never handled or managed the matters as per his allegations. All the allegations were garnered from third parties which were not revealed to the investigating team. The claims by Ramli were baseless and doubtful," he said.

"Their statements were made based on records relating to administration, operation and finance kept at the ACA," he added.

"This showed that Mohamad Ramli had made assumptions without solid facts or information."

Gani also dismissed Jeffrey Kitingan's allegations of the violation of laws by Sabah ACA in his police report.

"An inspection showed that there was no delay in the investigations conducted by the ACA after the complaints were received. Also, Zulkifli did not issue any directive to prolong the investigations.

"The investigations also did not show any transaction of an alleged RM700,000 bribe to Zulkifli by the Sabah chief minister," Gani said.

'No links'

Yesterday, Gani ordered ACA to close the probe into the allegations that IGP Musa Hassan took RM2 million in bribe to release three criminal suspects held under the Emergency Ordinance (EO).

According to Gani, the investigation via witnesses and relevant documents have nothing to link Musa to the allegation.

Three weeks ago, Deputy Internal Security Minister Johari Baharum has also ordered his officers to lodge an ACA report against Musa.

Johari was himself earlier cleared by the Attorney-General after an ACA probe for similar allegations - the deputy minister was said to have taken RM5 million in bribes for the release of three underworld figures under the EO.

Meanwhile, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng called on the Attorney-General to make public the investigation papers into both Zulkifli and Musa Hassan to prove that a thorough probe was conducted in accordance with the principles of integrity, transparency and accountability.