Photo for illustration purposes only.
KOTA KINABALU (Aug 22): The Special Court for Corruption heard that exhibits seized from a former director of State Water Department namely cars and electronic gadgets were kept by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
Hishammudin Mohammed Esa, the head of raiding team number eight, told judge Abu Bakar Manat that the said exhibits were with MACC while the other exhibits such as money, jewelry, rings and wrist watches were kept at Bank Negara, Sabah branch.
Under examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Mahadi Abdul Jumaat, the 48-year-old witness explained that the money did not have tally amount and they were instructed to recount the money.
The witness further said that after recounting the money, they seized it under the Anti-Money Laundering Act.
During his previous testimony last month, Hishammudin said that around RM23 million cash was discovered at Ag Mohd Tahir Mohd Talib’s office while RM8 million was found in the former director’s house, RM9 million and RM4 million cash respectively inside Mazda and Mercedes-Benz cars.
The witness also testified previously that 86 branded and luxurious wristwatches and 921 jewelry items were also found at the house.
Ag Mohd Tahir, 59, Ag Mohd Tahir’s wife Fauziah Hj Piut, 57, and former deputy director of the said 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 faces 19 charges under Section 4 (1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act (AMLATFPUA) 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 August 23.