Businessman Ab Aziz Abdullah, 44, his sister Anita, 47, Anita’s husband Muhammad Semail, 43, Abu Yazid Mohd, 38, and Hariza Yusof, 34, all pleaded not guilty to the charges read out before judges Suzana Hussin and Azura Alwi.
In Suzana’s court, Aziz, as director of Sepakat Hidayah Sdn Bhd, was charged with 41 counts of money laundering totalling RM8.98 million, including cash deposited in Tabung Haji and Amanah Saham Bumiputera (ASB) accounts of his five sons, and using the company’s money to buy luxury cars, including a Mercedes Benz GLA 43, GMC Yukon XL, Toyota Vellfire, and Range Rover Sport.
He is also charged with owning condominiums and apartments in Jalan Bukit Setiawangsa and Setapak, apart from buying office space in Taman Melawati, with proceeds from illegal activities.
All the offences were allegedly committed at several locations, including at Lembaga Tabung Haji, Jalan Tun Razak, Sepakat Hidayah Sdn Bhd’s office in Taman Melawati, and Taman Ukay Perdana, Setapak, between Feb 13, 2015 and April 6, 2021.
Anita was slapped with 15 charges of owning cash and using several cheques to buy several condominium units and shoplots in Taman Melati and Taman Melawati here, all being proceeds from illegal activities totalling RM5.06 million.
The offences were allegedly committed at Public Islamic Bank Bhd in Taman Melawati, Permodalan Nasional Bhd in Jalan Tun Razak and Lembaga Tabung Haji in Jalan Tun Razak here between May 1, 2015 and April 6, 2021.
Abu Yazid is facing three charges of having a fixed deposit of RM22,568.50 at Public Islamic Bank and acquiring two luxury cars – a Range Rover and a Mercedes Benz – through cash payments and by cheque totalling RM319,347,35 which were proceeds from illegal activities.
The offences are said to have been committed at the Public Bank Sentul branch and two premises in Jalan Ampang and Jalan Tun Razak between March 5, 2019 and July 1, 2021.
Meanwhile, in front of judge Azura, Hariza was charged with nine counts of possessing RM1.37 million in several bank accounts and using RM111,500 through a CIMB Bank Bhd banker’s cheque and a Public Bank cheque totalling RM79,997.33 as part payment for the purchase of a Toyota Vellfire, which were proceeds of illegal activities.
He is alleged to have committed the offences at several locations, including at the CIMB Bank Taman Melawati branch, the office of TJM Sdn Bhd, and Permodalan Nasional Bhd in Jalan Tun Razak between Feb 14, 2020 and July 1, 2021.
Hariza and Aziz were also charged with jointly owning cash of RM559,779.15 in a CIMB Bank current account belonging to Sepakat Hidayah, which were proceeds of illegal activities, at the bank’s Taman Melawati branch on April 6, 2021.
Muhammad is facing 11 charges of money laundering, including owning RM764,516.23 in several bank accounts, apart from possessing £2,000 and €1,300, and a Rolex watch, and using proceeds from illegal activities to buy several luxury cars, including a Mercedes AMG GT, a GMC Yukon XL and a Range Rover.
He allegedly committed the offences at several locations, including in Setapak, Wangsa Maju, Ampang and Sungai Penchala, between March 19, 2018 and April 6, 2021.
Muhammad and Abu Yazid, as directors of Syarikat Panorama Indeks Sdn Bhd, were also charged with jointly having RM28,985.13 belonging to the company, being proceeds of illegal activities, at the CIMB Bank Taman Melawati branch on April 6, 2021.
The charges were framed under Section 41(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLATFPUAA), which provides for a maximum jail term of 15 years, a fine of not less than five times the amount or value of proceeds of the illegal activities at the time the offence was committed, or RM5 million, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
The court allowed Aziz bail of RM400,000, Anita, Muhammad and Hariza bail of RM250,000 each and Abu Yazid bail of RM150,000, all in one surety, and ordered them to surrender their passports to the court and report to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office once a month.
The court fixed April 20 for mention and submission of documents.
The prosecution was led by MACC deputy public prosecutor Nik Hasline Hashim while all the accused were represented by Yunos Sharif.