KUALA LUMPUR – Two Malaysian men wanted by the United States Department of Justice (DoJ) over alleged money laundering and cybercrimes in America, sought to stay their extradition proceeding in the sessions court here.
Businessman Wong Ong Hua, 47, and computer analyst Ling Yang Ching, 33, filed a suit before the high court yesterday to challenge the validity of Sections 4 and 20 of the Extradition Act.
Deputy public prosecutor Mohd Ashrof Adrin Kamarul said the duo’s counsel, Tey Jun Ren, had informed judge Emelia Kaswati Mohamad Khalid that his clients have filed a stay application against the lower court’s extradition proceedings, pending disposal of the suit.
“The Attorney-General Chamber’s (AGC) will file a formal reply to Wong and Ling’s bid to stop the extradition case,” Ashrof said today.
He said the court then set October 22 to hear Ling and Wong’s application, and ordered the AGC to file its affidavit in reply to the businessmen’s application before September 29.
On September 3, last year, the US authorities requested the two suspects be extradited to the country and the AGC agreed to the request in accordance with the Extradition Act 1992 and an extradition agreement between the US and Malaysian governments.
The duo are to be charged in the US with 23 counts, including identity theft, access device fraud, Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) violations, and falsely registering domain names. – Bernama, September 15, 2021
