SHAH ALAM: Four people claimed trial at the Sessions Court here Friday (March 11) after they were charged with money laundering linked to a Visitor’s Pass for Temporary Employment (PLKS) syndicate.
The four accused Datuk Ab Aziz Abdullah, 44, his brother-in-law Muhammad Semail, 43, Abu Yazid Mohd, 38, and Mohd Hariza Mohd Yusof, 34, face a total of 21 charges that were read out separately before judge Rozilah Salleh.
According to the charge sheet, Ab Aziz was slapped with nine charges of owning four Rolex watches and five properties amounting to more than RM2.68mil.
Muhammad, meanwhile, had allegedly used the funds, including two cheques, amounting to RM854,513 to buy a Toyota Vellfire and a Bentley Continental.
Mohd Hariza faced six charges over two properties, a Rolex watch, and a Mercedes Benz E250 all totalling up to RM886,650 in value as well as RM137,250 in cash and foreign currencies in various denominations.
The fourth accused Abu Yazid faced four charges of acquiring two properties valued at RM446,399 with the utilisation of five cheques received from Ab Aziz as well as two companies and having possession of RM44,400 in cash, including some foreign currency.
The four were charged under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act (AMLATFPUAA) 2001.
The offence carries a jail term of not more than 15 years and a fine of at least five times the sum obtained from money laundering or RM5mil, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
The four as well as Ab Aziz’s sister, Anita Abdullah, were also slapped with 81 charges under the same Act at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court on Thursday (March 10) for laundering RM19mil.
The Kuala Lumpur court had set bail at RM400,000 for Ab Aziz, RM250,000 for Muhammad and Mohd Hariza as well as RM150,000 for Abu Yazid.
DPP Nik Haslinie Hashim requested judge Rozilah to transfer the case to the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court as well as use the bail amount that had been set by the same court on Thursday.
She consented to the request and fixed April 20 for the case mention.