Nor Badli Munawir Alias Lafti, 57, was on RM600,000 bail pending the outcome of his final appeal in the Court of Appeal today.
THHE was formerly a Tabung Haji associate company.
A three-member bench chaired by Justice Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera said neither the sessions court nor the High Court made any perverse finding to warrant appellate intervention.
“Moreover, the trial judge had audio and video advantages in making findings of fact,” said Vazeer, who sat with Justices Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim and Azmi Ariffin to hear the appeal.
Nor Badli was originally handed concurrent five-year jail terms by the sessions court for each of the three CBT and two money laundering offences he faced.
However, this was later enhanced to eight years by the High Court. The appellate court then reduced it back to five years but ordered that it start from today.
Nor Badli, a father of six, had misappropriated three cheques for RM400,000, RM570,000 and RM600,000 at the office of THHE Fabricators Sdn Bhd in Bangsar here between April and October 2013.
All charges were brought under Section 409 of the Penal Code which prescribed imprisonment of up to 20 years, with whipping, and a fine, if found guilty.
However, Nor Badli was spared the whip as he was over 50 years old.
In respect of the money laundering charges, Nor Badli was convicted of receiving RM570,000 from Bicara Sepakat Sdn Bhd director Murhasmee Mukhtar at a restaurant in Ara Damansara, Petaling Jaya on June 26, 2013.
He was also convicted of receiving another RM600,000 in unlawful activity proceeds from Murhasmee at the same restaurant on Sept 11, 2013.
The charges were framed under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001, which provides for a maximum fine of RM5 million or imprisonment for up to five years, or both, if found guilty.
Lawyers Kitson Foong, Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, K Kumaraendran, Chew Jee San and Vam Shir Mooi appeared for Nor Badli.
Deputy public prosecutors Nahra Dollah, Parveen Hamedah Natchiar and Aida Khairuleen Azli prosecuted.