SHAH ALAM (Sept 24): Maju Expressway owner Tan Sri Abu Sahid Mohamed has been charged with another criminal breach of trust (CBT) offence on Wednesday. He pleaded not guilty.
Abu Sahid, 74, in his capacity as a director of Maju Holdings Sdn Bhd, is accused of misappropriating RM145 million in an escrow account belonging to Golden Base Construction Sdn Bhd in breach of Section 409 of the Penal Code.
He is alleged to have abused the sum between Jan 12 and June 13, 2018, at the Maybank Islamic Bhd branch in Taman Serdang Perdana, Selangor.
If convicted, he could be jailed for between two years and 20 years, and get a fine and whipping. However, due to his age, whipping is not applicable.
Abu Sahid, who arrived at the courtroom in a wheelchair, claimed trial before Sessions Court judge Datuk Mohd Nasir Nordin.
Deputy public prosecutor Datuk Ahmad Akram Gharib led the prosecution team, while Abu Sahid was represented by Datuk Hisyam Teh Poh Teik and Datuk Jasbir Singh.
Ahmad Akram applied for Nasir to transfer the case to the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court, where Abu Sahid is facing four CBT charges involving RM313 million and 13 counts of money laundering of RM139 million.
Nasir allowed for the case to be transferred to Kuala Lumpur and fixed Nov 3 for mention and allowed similar bail conditions as had been given by Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court judge Suzana Hussin on Sept 6, where Abu Sahid had been given a RM1.5 million bail and ordered to surrender his passport.
On Sept 6, Abu Sahid claimed trial to CBT under the Penal Code for allegedly moving RM91.55 million in May-November 2016, RM171.48 million in January-November 2017, RM49.59 million in January-November 2018, and RM500,000 on Oct 21, 2019.
Meanwhile, the money-laundering charges under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLA) were for the transfers of:
- RM22.1 million to See Hong Cheen (May 4, 2016);
- RM1 million to Goh Ming Yong (May 6, 2016);
- RM10 million to Wong Kichin (May 10, 2016);
- RM1.96 million to Golden Base Construction (June-October 2016);
- RM42.89 million to Econpile (M) Sdn Bhd (January-November 2017);
- RM500,000 to Lim Heng Suan (Sept 6, 2017);
- RM34.68 million to Econpile (M) via Alliance Bank (January-October 2018);
- RM1.67 million to Venus Asset Sdn Bhd (May 2018);
- RM1.15 million to Winsome Harvest Development Sdn Bhd (December 2018); and
- RM500,000 to Tan Kim Hoe (October 2019).
Abu Sahid’s wife, Puan Sri Noor Azrina Mohd Azmi, had also been charged in the Sessions Court here on Monday with money laundering of over RM67 million.
Meanwhile, former Maju Holdings director Datuk Yap Wee Leong on Wednesday faces nine counts each for money laundering and deceiving a principal Maybank officer over progress claim documents for payment submitted to Maybank Islamic for funds to be released.
Read also:
Former Maju Holdings director claims trial to charges of money laundering and deceiving Maybank officer
Maju Expressway owner Abu Sahid pleads not guilty to criminal breach of trust, money laundering charges
Maju Expressway owner Abu Sahid’s wife charged with money laundering over RM67 mil