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Shah Alam High Court today found former chief minister of Selangor, Dr Mohd Khir Toyo guilty to charges of corruption. Justice Mohtaruddin Baki said the prosecution had proved beyond reasonable doubt the charges against Khir.

The judge sentenced Dr Khir to 12 months' imprisonment and ordered the seizure of the property (pic above).

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Dr Mohamed Khir Toyo said today he was being made a political fall guy, following his conviction for abusing his influence to buy a luxury home and land at a discount of up to RM3 million.

The former Selangor mentri besar has maintained his innocence, insisting that the RM3.5 million deal was at market value and on a "willing buyer, willing seller" basis.

"Right from the start," he said when asked by reporters after the guilty verdict if he was being made a political scapegoat.

After judge Datuk Mohtarudin Baki ordered the seizure of the property and sentenced the Sungai Panjang assemblyman to 12 months jail, Dr Khir told reporters that "this is not the final judgment and I will continue to fight to clear my name."

"On the question of politics, I will answer after January 9," he added in an apparent reference to the date of Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's sodomy verdict.

Dr Khir appeared to be referring to speculation that he would be given a hefty sentence to avoid allegations of injustice should PKR de facto leader Anwar be found guilty.

Earlier, Mohtarudin had ruled that the conviction under Section 165 of the Penal Code also invoked Section 36 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, which mandates that the court seize property that is the subject of a graft offence.

However, he granted Dr Khir a stay of execution pending an appeal that defence lawyer M. Athimulan said would be filed this afternoon.

Although Dr Khir remains Sungai Panjang assemblyman, the 12-month sentence means he will be unable to contest in elections unless the Court of Appeal reduces it to under six months.

Athimulan also told reporters that the defence was "baffled" by the heavy punishment.

"Market value is not important anymore and it will just be based on the seller's price," he said, before his smiling client left the court complex here.

Dr Khir was charged with illegally obtaining for himself and his wife two lots of land and a house at No. 8 and 10, Jalan Suasa 7/1L here from Ditamas Sdn Bhd through its director Datuk Shamsuddin Hayroni.

The property was purchased at RM3.5 million although Ditamas had bought it for RM6.5 million on December 23, 2004.

Dr Khir was alleged to have committed the offence at the official residence of the Selangor mentri besar at Jalan Permata 7/1, Section 7 here on May 29, 2007 - MI