KUALA LUMPUR – Former Batu Maung assemblyman Datuk Mansor Musa trial over 58 money laundering charges amounting to RM9.22 million will be heard at the Butterworth sessions court in Penang together with 106 similar charges, involving more than RM11 million.
This followed a decision by sessions court Judge Rozina Ayob here today in allowing the prosecution’s application for the case to be transferred to the Butterworth court.
“The charges against the accused are related to the charges facing him in Penang. Since the lawyer has no objection, the court allows the case to be transferred to the Butterworth sessions court,” she said and set September 28 for mention at the Butterworth court.
On July 13, Mansor pleaded not guilty in Butterworth sessions court to 106 money laundering charges, involving more than RM11 million, allegedly committed between September 2011 and August last year.
Earlier, deputy public prosecutor from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Muhammad Asraf Mohamed Tahir told the court that the application was made on the grounds that it involved the same witnesses and documents in the case facing the accused in Penang.
Lawyer Datuk Hasnal Rezua Merican represented Mansor.
On July 15, Mansor, 58, who is chairman of Koperasi Tunas Muda Sg Ara Bhd, pleaded not guilty to 58 counts of laundering RM9.22 million, allegedly committed between December 2008 and May 2015.
For the first to 42nd charge, Mansor was charged with engaging in money laundering, including receiving money in cash, using proceeds from illegal activities for the purchase of shares, houses and payments to contractors through different companies.
The charges were framed under Section 4 (1) (a) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001 (AMLATFA 2001) which provides a maximum fine of RM5 million or imprisonment not exceeding five years, or both, if found guilty.
On the 43rd to the 58th charge, he was charged under Section 4 (1) (b) of the same law with receiving, using and transferring money from a company.
All the offences were allegedly committed at Public Bank’s Jalan Raja Chulan and Starpac Point branches as well as the RHB Bank Bhd’s KLCC branch here between December 2008 and May 2015.
He faced a maximum jail term of 15 years and a fine of up to five times the proceeds from the illegal activity, or RM5 million, whichever is higher, upon conviction. – Bernama, July 26, 2021
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