[UPDATED] Ex-Sabah Water Dept deputy director given discharge not amounting to acquittal

KOTA KINABALU – Former Sabah Water Department deputy director Teo Chee Kong has been given a discharge not amounting to acquittal (DNAA) by the special corruption court here today as the trial resumed since 2020 when it was put on hold.

The 58-year-old was facing a total of 146 charges of money laundering involving RM32.93 million.

Judge Abu Bakar Manat made the order after being informed by the prosecution, which is the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), decided not to proceed with the case.

The charges on other suspects in the Sabah Water Department scandal still stand.

The others named are former Sabah Water Department director Ag Mohd Tahir Mohd Talib, his wife Fauziah Piut, and retired Sabah Water Department deputy director Lim Lam Beng faces 37 counts of money laundering involving RM61.57 million.

Speaking to reporters outside the courthouse, the anti-graft commission’s senior legal and prosecution officer Datuk Faridz Gohim Abdullah said that the MACC has decided to compound Teo for RM30 million.

“I wish to stress here, based on letters sent to us by Teo’s lawyers, MACC and the Federal Attorney General’s Office have decided to compound Teo.

“It is a huge amount, which is RM30 million, and the fine comes under Section 92 of the Anti-Money Laundering Act.

“The compound is also part of a punitive action against Teo and asset recovery of the lost funds, as well as strengthening our case in the remaining charges,” he said in a press conference at the lobby of the Kota Kinabalu courthouse.

Faridz said the compound would in no way affect the money-laundering charges of the three other suspects who are still undergoing trial.

He said Teo has 14 days from today to settle the RM30 million fine.

The Sabah Water Department scandal is one of the country’s biggest corruption scandals to date, involving up to RM114 million being confiscated by the MACC.

Graft busters carried out a widespread probe in the scandal, which broke in 2016 and confiscated millions of ringgit in cash and more in jewelleries and land titles.

Awang Mohd Tahid was charged with 12 counts of money laundering involving RM56.9 million. His wife meanwhile faces 19 similar charges involving RM2.2 million and Lim faces four counts of money-laundering charges.

All three claimed trial to the charges.

All three individuals were also absent from the court today.

Teo was represented by Ram Singh, Timothy Daut, Kimberly Yee and Chen Jwe as counsels, while MACC was represented by Faridz and Mahadi Abdul Jumaat from the Federal AG office.

The trial of the three individuals will take place on April 11 to 14, April 25 to 27, May 17 to 19, and June 13 to 15. – The Vibes, February 18, 2022