In her verdict, trial judge Sabariah Othman ruled that the prosecution had failed to prove a prima facie case against Lau Kok Loon, 77, under Section 409 of the Penal Code for CBT and Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (Amla).

“Due to the failure to prove the elements of the charges, the court finds that a prima facie case was not proven under Section 409 of the Penal Code and Section 4(1)(b) of Amla.

“Therefore, the accused is acquitted and discharged from the two charges without his defence being called,” she said.

In her ruling, Sabariah said the investigations into the cases had not been completed, leading to a failure on the part of investigators to scrutinise crucial information.

As a result, she said the accused was denied his right to a fair trial.

Lau, a director of Semenyih Jaya Sdn Bhd, was said to have committed the offences between 2013 and 2017.

The first charge, brought in 2019, accused Lau of CBT in respect of four Hong Leong Bank cheques totalling RM7.6 million between Aug 27, 2013 and Sept 3, 2013.

In 2020, he was charged with money laundering of RM9.1 million by transferring the proceeds of allegedly unlawful activities from his savings account to a current account held with Hong Leong Bank in 34 transactions which took place between Dec 4, 2013, and Sept 19, 2017.

Raihanah Abd Razak prosecuted while lawyer Lee Keng Fatt represented Lau.