A LECTURER from a teacher training institute and her husband have claimed trial to 75 charges involving over RM52 million in alleged money laundering, operating an unlicensed investment scheme, and accepting deposits without approval from Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM).
Wan Ziraiza Wan Ismail, 55, and her husband, Mohammad Riza Ahmad Hambadley, 57, pleaded not guilty before the Sessions Court here on Monday. The charges also implicated their charitable organisation, Pertubuhan Amal Kita Kinta Perak (PAKKP), along with four affiliated companies under their directorship.
The couple face 61 charges under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLA), involving RM52.8 million in alleged proceeds from unlawful activity — including the purchase of land and vehicles in Perak.
Mohammad Riza faces 38 money laundering counts, while Wan Ziraiza faces three. The remaining 20 counts are directed at PAKKP and its subsidiaries: PAKKP Berhad (2 charges), PAKKP Solutions (11), PAKKP Livestock Sdn Bhd (5), and PAKKP Development Sdn Bhd (1).
Each AMLA offence carries a maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to five times the amount laundered or RM5 million, whichever is higher.
The couple and PAKKP also face four charges of accepting public deposits without a licence under Section 10 of the Financial Services Act 2013. The alleged offences relate to the *Program Induk Kambing Baka Shami* (Shami Goat Breeding Master Programme), and were said to have taken place between 30 November 2016 and 15 July 2023 at a premises in Batu Gajah, Perak.
An additional 10 charges accuse Mohammad Riza of offering five individuals participation in the same unregistered investment scheme, in violation of the Interest Schemes Act 2016. Wan Ziraiza is charged with abetting the offence. These acts were also said to have occurred at the Batu Gajah address, between 3 March 2017 and 7 January 2021.
The prosecution under AMLA was led by Deputy Public Prosecutor Muhammad Zulfadli Mohd Nawawi. BNM’s legal team was represented by Deputy Public Prosecutor Steve Chin Yun Cheong and enforcement officers Muhamad Atif Abdullah and Harvind Raja Gopal. Charges under the Interest Schemes Act were led by SSM prosecutors Fazarul Ezhar Mohd Mokhtar and Nurul Nabila Azmi.
The accused couple were represented by counsel Datuk Yaacob Md Sam and Md Yunos Shariff.
After the first 51 charges were read before Judge Ainul Shahrin Mohamad, bail was set at RM100,000 each without additional conditions. When the remaining 14 charges were heard before Judge Jean Sharmila Jesudason, she ruled that bail for the subsequent charges would be covered under the earlier bail order.
The court also imposed further conditions prohibiting the accused from contacting witnesses and requiring them to report monthly to the nearest police station from the 1st to the 5th of each month.
Both accused posted bail. The case is scheduled for further mention on 4 November 2025. - September 22, 2025
