MACC investigation officer Mohamad Firdaus Ahmad Sabry said the commission was Ku’s income as a broker in the sale of properties in Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru.
He said Ku only informed the MACC about the commission in three conversations recorded on Dec 23, 2013; June 23, 2015; and Jan 21, 2016.
During cross-examination by Ku’s lawyer Geethan Ram Vincent, the fifth prosecution witness said Ku only declared a commission of RM30,000 for the purchase of a property in Tanjung Puteri, Johor Bahru, in the asset declaration form.
However, Mohamad Firdaus agreed with Geethan’s suggestion that Ku had no intention to hide from the MACC the information about the commission he received as recorded in the conversations.
Geethan: As early as Dec 23, 2013, my client had informed MACC that he had received a commission of RM30,000 from the sale of a property in Johor Bahru and another RM800,000 commission from the sale of other properties.
Mohamad Firdaus: Correct.
Geethan: On June 23, 2015, which is the continuation of the conversation on Dec 23, do you agree that Ku had given the details about the commission?
Mohamad Firdaus: Agreed.
Geethan: In the same conversation, when asked about the declaration, my client explained that he did not declare because the money was used to buy shares.
Mohamad Firdaus: Correct.
To a question on the declaration of shares owned by Ku, the witness said:
“I did not deny that Ku declared his shares, but for the commission (used to buy shares), no.”
Ku, 58, who is now with the Bukit Aman CID secretariat, was charged under Section 49(3) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001 for failing to declare the earnings obtained from a commission of RM961,500 in his sworn statement dated Jan 8, 2014.
Ku was alleged to have committed the offence at the MACC headquarters at Block D6 of the Federal Government Administrative Centre in Putrajaya between Dec 23, 2013, and Jan 21, 2014.
The offence carries a maximum fine of RM1 million or imprisonment of up to a year, or both, upon conviction.
The trial before Judge Sohaini Alias resumes on May 30.
– BERNAMA