KOTA KINABALU (April 14): The Sessions Court here heard that RM4.1 million found inside a luxury car six years ago when the car was allegedly with the former director of State Water Department.
Ag Mohd Ihsam Ag Mahmud, 43, who claimed to be the brother of the first accused Ag Mohd Tahir Mohd Talib’s childhood friend testified that the the luxury car was registered under a company name where Ag Mohd Ihsam is a director of the company.
Ag Mohd Ihsam further said that he never used the car nor paying anything for the car.
Under examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Haresh Prakash Somiah the 12th witness said that on October 4, 2016, he knew the car was with Ag Mohd Tahir because Ag Mohd Tahir was allegedly the one, who used the car.
Ag Mohd Tahir, 58, his wife Fauziah Ag Piut, 55 and former deputy director of the department Lim Lam Beng @ Lim Chee Hong, 68, were tried for alleged money laundering involving cash and bank savings amounting to RM61.48 million, as well as unlawful possession of luxury goods.
To a question, the witness said that he could not remember since when Ag Mohd Tahir had allegedly been using the car.
Haresh: On October 4, 2016, the RM4.1 million found inside the car, was the money belonged to you or the company?
Witness: No.
In his witness statement, he said that he never made any application to buy the car but the car was bought when one Mohd Hussainy called him to go to the City area and met with a car agent.
The witness said that the agent brought him to the car showroom and met the staff there which later on, the witness was asked to sign a form.
He testified that Mohd Hussainy said to him to use the company’s name to buy the car and the car was to be given to Ag Mohd Tahir.
To another question, Ag Mohd Ihsam recalled that after the registration of the company, he met one Fauzi and both of them discussed about getting tender from the said department.
The witness also said that Fauzi told him that he (Fauzi) will manage all the applications and the witness will only signed or signing cheque if tender obtained.
He further said that since the establishment of the company, he estimated around eight to nine tenders were obtained under the project of the said department.
The witness also said that regarding the cash of RM200,000 for a car which sold by his brother the 11th witness in this case, Ag Mohd Tahir had allegedly bought the car, Ag Mohd Ihsam testified that he received the said cash allegedly from Ag Mohd Tahir not from the 11th witness.
Ag Mohd Ihsam said that he went to pay the car amount with a car agent in Inanam in 2013 and the payment was with cash at a bank branch in Inanam directly credited to the account of the car’s company.
When cross examined by counsel Marcel Jude Joseph, who represented Ag Mohd Tahir and Fauziah, the witness testified that the RM200,000 was not given by Ag Mohd Tahir to him but the money was received from a middle person.
Meanwhile, the 13th witness testified yesterday that a luxury car whom he estimated worth around RM160,000 or below RM200,000 was allegedly belonged to Ag Mohd Tahir but it was registered under the witness’ name.
Under examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Mahadi Abdul Jumaat, Adam Breimo, 45, said that the car was bought using bank loan and the loan was also under his name.
However, he said that he never paid for the car, which was a first hand car and it was allegedly paid by Ag Mohd Tahir but the witness could not remember how much was the monthly commitment for the car.
To a question, the witness said that he was willing his name be used for the car due to personal gratitude and personal reason.
When the witness was asked to elaborate on what he meant by personal gratitude and personal reason, the witness explained that Ag Mohd Tahir had been there to advise him regarding his marital problems at that time and also he has the believe that Ag Mohd Tahir will pay the car loan.
To another question, the witness said that since the car was bought in 2011, Ag Mohd Tahir had allegedly been using it and the witness never used the car.
The witness also testified that on October 14, 2016, the car was allegedly with Ag Mohd Tahir and since the car was bought, the witness never faced any problem with the bank or any summon from the authority.
The witness, who is a manger of a company , testified that he got to know Ag Mohd Tahir in 2006 during a Asia Water Exhibition program where at that time, the witness had joined the program and opened a booth to display his company’s product.
Meanwhile, the 14th witness, Azmeer Husain Abdul Aziz, 47, testified that the three accused persons never declared to the Inland Revenue Board about cash profits.
Under examination-in-chief by Mahadi, the witness, who is currently attached to Tax Information and Records, testified that tax payer needs to declare money obtained from profits or any profit.
To a question, the witness said that there was no other income being declared by the accused persons apart from their salaries.
Ag Mohd Tahir faces 11 charges framed under Section 4 (1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities (AMLATFAPUA) Act 2001 while Fauziah and Lim were each charged with 19 and four charges, respectively, of the same Act.
Apart from that, Ag Mohd Tahir was also charged under Section 4(1)(a) of the same Act plus another two joint charges with his wife under Section 4 (1)(b) also of the same Act.
The alleged offences against Ag Mohd Tahir and his wife 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 office of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission office at Jalan UMS and at a house here between October 13 and November 8, 2016.
Lim was represented by counsel Datuk Tan Hock Chuan, Baldev Singh, Karpaljit Singh and Kelvin Wong.
The trial will continue on April 25.