BUTTERWORTH: Wearing aviator sunglasses and draping a jacket over his handcuffs, Bayan Baru Umno division chief Datuk Mansor Musa appeared calm as he entered the Butterworth courthouse to face money laundering charges amounting to over RM11mil.

       At the Butterworth Sessions Court here, Mansor pleaded not guilty to 106 counts of money laundering yesterday.

       Mansor, 58, claimed trial before Sessions judge Norhayati Mohamad Yunus.

       The money laundering charges involve more than RM11mil in the form of cash and other items including shares and property.

       The money and gifts were allegedly received between September 2011 and Aug 10 last year.

       Based on the charge sheets, Mansor – a one-term Batu Maung assemblyman from 2004 to 2008 – is accused of laundering money by receiving cash through multiple illegal transactions, as well as assets and shares via bank accounts of different companies in Penang.

       Day in court: Mansor being escorted by MACC officers into the courthouse in Butterworth.

       He was charged with 42 counts under Section 4(1)(a) of Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, which carries a maximum fine of RM5mil or jail not exceeding five years or both, if convicted.

       He was additionally charged with 64 counts under Section 4(1)(b) of the same Act for transactions made after Sept 1, 2014, when the definition of the section was amended.

       These charges provide for a heavier penalty of a maximum of 15 years’ jail and a fine of up to five times the proceeds from the illegal activities or RM5mil, whichever is higher.

       Deputy public prosecutor Datuk Faridz Gohim Abdullah requested bail be set at RM2mil, while Mansor’s lawyer Kek Boon Wei requested bail be set at RM100,000.

       Norhayati set bail at RM500,000 in one surety and two conditions: that the accused surrender his passport and report himself to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission once a month. She set Sept 28 for case management pending submission of documents.

       Mansor, who is the chairman of Koperasi Tunas Muda Sungai Ara Bhd, is expected to face more charges at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court this week.