Money laundering trial adjourned pending caution statements
KOTA KINABALU (Apr 29): A Sessions Court here on Tuesday put off the defence trial of three individuals, including a former director of the Sabah Water Department to April 30 for money laundering charges, pending the production of caution statements that were recorded nine years ago.
In his decision, judge Abu Bakar Manat took the position to adjourn the trial of ex-director Ag Mohd Tahir Mohd Talib, 60, Ag Mohd Tahir's wife Fauziah Hj Piut, 58, and former deputy director of the said department, Lim Lam Beng @ Lim Chee Hong, 69, when the defence stage trial was supposed to proceed on Tuesday.
'In view of to the position stated of that the defence counsel (for Ag Mohd Tahir and Fauziah) still insist for caution statements of Ag Mohd Tahir and Fauziah, taken on October 15, 2016, to be supplied before we can proceed with the defence case.
'So in view of that, we take position to adjourn the matter until tomorrow (today) morning,' said the judge.
The trio had been tried for alleged money laundering offences involving cash, bank savings as well as alleged unlawful possession of luxurious items.
During a previous hearing, the judge had fixed a three-day trial from April 28 to 30 for them to answer their defence.
Ag Mohd Tahir and Lim had opted to give evidence under oath from the witness stand while Fauziah chose to give an unsworn evidence for her defence.
The prosecution offered 38 witnesses to the defence.
It was reported that according to counsel Datuk Ansari Abdullah, who represented Ag Mohd Tahir and Fauziah, they may call or interview six individuals, namely Tan Sri Pairin Kitingan and Datuk Raymond Tan, both former Ministers of Infrastructure Development, Datuk Felix Madan and Datuk Michael Emban, both former Permanent Secretaries of the Ministry of Infrastructure Development, former Deputy Permanent Secretary (Development) of the State Ministry of Finance Datuk Peter Thien and Teo Chit Ming.
Ag Mohd Tahir faces 11 charges while Fauziah faces 19 charges under Section 4 (1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
Fauziah has another two joint charges with Ag Mohd Tahir under Section 4 (1)(b) also of the same Act and Ag Mohd Tahir also has another charge under Section 4(1)(a) of the same Act.
The alleged offences against Ag Mohd Tahir and his spouse were allegedly committed at his office here, a house in Sembulan, at bank branches, at a condominium, in Sulaman and a tower in Kuala Lumpur between October 4 and November 4, 2016.
Lim was alleged to have committed the offences at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission office at Jalan UMS and at a house here between October 13 and November 8, 2016.
Deputy public prosecutors Mahadi Abdul Jumaat and Haresh Prakash Somiah appeared for the prosecution.
Counsel Datuk Tan Hock Chuan, Baldev Singh, Karpaljit Singh and Kelvin Wong defended Lim.
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