Former PM pleads not guilty to 21 counts of money laundering involving 2.282 billion
Najib (centre) escorted by police to the courthouse in Kuala Lumpur. – AFP photo
KUALA LUMPUR: Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was charged at the Sessions Court here yesterday with 21 counts of money laundering involving over RM 2.282 billion.
The former premier, however, pleaded not guilty to all charges after they were read separately to him before Judge Azura Alwi.
On the first to ninth count, Najib was charged with accepting a total of RM2,081,476,926, believed to be proceeds from money laundering activities, which was transferred into his AmIslamic Bank account number 2112022009694 from an account number 8550299001 belonging to Tanore Finance Corporation at Falcon Private Bank, Singapore.
He was alleged to have committed all the offences at the Jalan Raja Chulan branch of AmIslamic Bank Berhad, No. 55, Jalan Raja Chulan, Bukit Ceylon here between March 22 and April 10, 2013.
On the 10th count, Najib was charged with transferring RM652,600,000, also believed to be proceeds from the unlawful activities, from his AmIslamic Bank account number 2112022009694 into the same account number 8550299001 belonging to Tanore Finance Corporation di Falcon Private Bank, Singapore.
He was alleged to have committed the offence at the same place on Aug 2, 2013.
On the 11th and 12th counts, the former Umno president was charged with using RM20,000,000, believed to be proceeds from money laundering activities, through an AmIslamic Bank cheque number 571854 as a payment to United Malays National Organisation (Umno), and another RM100,000 through another AmIslamic Bank cheque number 571857 to Batu Kawan Umno Division.
The offences were allegedly committed at the Jalan Raja Chulan branch of AmIslamic Bank Berhad at No. 55, Jalan Raja Chulan, Bukit Ceylon here on Aug 2 and Aug 7, 2013, respectively.
On the 13th count, Najib was charged with using RM246,000 of proceeds from money laundering activities to make payment to Lim Soon Peng, 63, through an AmIslamic Bank cheque number 571858, at the same place on Aug 7, 2013.
On the 14th count, he was charged with using RM2,000,000, believed to be proceeds from money laundering activities, to pay ORB Solutions Sdn Bhd through an AmIslamic Bank cheque number 571859 at the same place on Aug 12, 2013.
On the 15th count, he was charged with using RM303,000, believed to be proceeds from money laundering activities, to pay Semarak Konsortium Satu Sdb Bhd through an AmIslamic Bank cheque number 571856 at the same place on Aug 14, 2013.
On the 16th to 19th count, Najib was charged with transferring a total of RM1,381,750,000, believed to be proceeds from similar unlawful activities, from his AmIslamic Bank account number 2112022009694 into account number 8550299001 belonging to Tanore Finance Corporation at the Falcon Private Bank, Singapore, at the same place between Aug 15 and 23, 2013.
On the 20th and 21st counts, the former prime minister was charged with transferring a total of RM162,436,711.87 of proceeds from money laundering activities, into his other AmIslamic Bank acoount number 2112022011880, at the same place on Aug 27 and Aug 30, 2013.
All the charges were made according to Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act (AMLATFA), which carries a maximum fine of RM5 million and jail term of five years, or both, if convicted. — Bernama