KOTA KINABALU (June 23): The Special Court for Corruption on Friday heard that a Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) raiding team also found a lot of money at the former State Water Department director’s house and inside two cars besides millions of cash discovered inside his office room.
The head of raiding team number eight, Hishammudin Mohammed Esa, 48, explained to judge Abu Bakar Manat around RM23 million cash was only discovered at one location at Ag Mohd Tahir Mohd Talib’s office room which was at a pantry.
Hishammudin further explained that the 23 million cash included the RM62,500 cash found inside Ag Mohd Tahir’s bag on the raiding day at his office on October 4, 2016.
Under examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Mahadi Abdul Jumaat, the witness said that the cash was discovered at three locations inside the pantry of Ag Mohd Tahir’s office room.
The witness testified that only Ag Mohd Tahir had access to the room when the raid was carried out.
To a question, the witness testified that apart from the RM23 million cash found at the pantry, the other locations where the money was also found were an office desk, three-seater couch, TV cabinet and wooden cabinet(s) inside the office room.
To another question, the witness testified that at Ag Mohd Tahir’s house, his team discovered RM8 million cash.
He also said that 86 branded and luxurious wristwatches and 921 jewelry items were also found at the house.
To another question, the witness further testified that his team further discovered RM9 million and RM4 million cash respectively inside Mazda and Mercedes-Benz cars.
He said that the Mazda was parked near the house gate while the Mercedes-Benz at the house garage.
Ag Mohd Tahir, 59, Ag Mohd Tahir’s wife Fauziah Hj Piut, 57, and former deputy director of the state Water Department, Lim Lam Beng @ Lim Chee Hong, 68, were tried for alleged money laundering offences involving cash and huge amount of bank savings as well as unlawful possession of luxury goods.
Ag Mohd Tahir faces 11 charges and Fauziah 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 Tahir also has another charge under Section 4(1)(a) of the same Act.
The alleged offences against Ag Mohd Tahir and Fauziah were 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 Haresh Prakash Somiah and Zander Lim also handled the trial.
Counsel Priskila Akwila Sinem and Mohammed Fareez Mohammed Salleh represented Ag Mohd Tahir and Fauziah.
Meanwhile Lim was represented by counsel Datuk Tan Hock Chuan, Baldev Singh, Karpaljit Singh and Calvin Wong
The trial will resume on July 25-28.