PUTRAJAYA: Former Tabung Haji chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim has not been cleared from corruption charges, says the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
The MACC said the statement by Abdul Azeez's counsel Amer Hamzah Arshad that a financial analysis report had freed Abdul Azeez of corruption charges was merely a submission made in the Court of Appeal on Monday (Sept 6).
“The MACC would like to stress that the statement is only a submission, and no decision on it has been made in court,” it said in a statement on Tuesday (Sept 7).
“Before this, Abdul Azeez had faced 13 corruption and money-laundering charges before the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court.
“On March 12, the Kuala Lumpur High Court had rejected his application for those charges to be struck out.
“Yesterday, the appeal towards the Kuala Lumpur High Court’s decision was heard in the Court of Appeal.
“However, media reports had picked up the submissions made by the defence and made it seem like Abdul Azeez had been cleared from all corruption and money-laundering charges, even though the court had yet to make any decision on the case,” said the MACC.
It called on the public not to speculate on the case, which is still ongoing.
On Oct 6, the appellate court is set to hear the prosecution’s reply to the submission made by Abdul Azeez’s team.
Abdul Azeez, 55, is appealing against the High Court's dismissal of his application to strike out three bribery charges involving RM5.2mil linked to road projects in Perak and Kedah, and 10 money laundering charges involving a total of RM13.9mil which he was accused of receiving from Menuju Asas Sdn Bhd.
He is alleged to have committed the offences at CIMB Bank, Jalan Tun Perak in Kuala Lumpur on Dec 8, 2010 and at Affin Bank, Puchong City Centre, Selangor, on June 13, 2017 and April 10, 2018.
On the money laundering charges, Abdul Azeez was charged with committing the offences in the Klang Valley area between March 8, 2010 and Aug 30, 2018.