KUALA LUMPUR: A 66-year-old travel company owner has claimed trial at a Sessions Court here to five counts of money laundering amounting to RM1.15mil.
Norani Ismail pleaded not guilty after the charges were read out to her before Sessions Court judge Ahmad Kamar Jamaludin here on Wednesday (Feb 16).
According to the first until fifth charge sheets, Norani allegedly transferred RM700,000, RM270,000, RM100,000, RM26,000, and RM54,000, believed to be proceeds from illegal activities, from the current account of Inter City Services & Travel Sdn Bhd to several other accounts.
The other accounts were two that belonged to her son, two belonging to her (the accused) and one bank belonging to her company.
All of the offences were allegedly committed at Maybank, Bukit Bintang branch here, between Jan 25 and Oct 3, 2019.
Norani was charged under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act (AMLATFPUAA) 2001.
She faces imprisonment up to 15 years and a fine of no less than five times of the amount involved or RM5mil, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Norazihah Asmuni offered bail at RM100,000 for all the charges on grounds that the accused has been charged with a serious offence.
Vinod Sharma, who represented Norani, however, asked the court to adopt a RM15,000 bail that had already been granted by the Shah Alam Sessions Court to the accused in another case.
The lawyer said the case in Shah Alam involved the same transactions as the current case and asked the court to transfer the current case to the Shah Alam court.
"The accused has never failed to be present at all her case mentions in Shah Alam. The court there has also confiscated her passport," he added.
Ahmad Kamar then allowed the bail fixed by the Shah Alam court to be adopted in the case.
He also allowed for the case to be transferred to the Shah Alam court.
The case is fixed for mention on March 8 at the Shah Alam Sessions Court.