Court dismisses Shafee’s application to have his passport returned
KUALA LUMPUR: Prominent lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah yesterday failed to regain his passport to attend legal proceedings in Australia next month.
High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah dismissed his application, stating that the applicant’s presence was merely to assist the appointed counsel there.
“The applicant’s presence at the detention facility is for the purpose of assisting in translation from Bahasa Melayu.
“The possibility of a risk of flight could not be discounted due to the nature and seriousness of the charges faced,” he said.
Earlier, Harvinderjit Singh, who represented the accused, said his client had been appointed to represent a Malaysian who was charged with drug trafficking in Australia.
“He (Shafee) was appointed by the accused’s family to assist the solicitor on record there.”
In his submission, deputy public prosecutor Afzainizan Abdul Aziz argued that Shafee did not have a pressing need to attend the proceedings.
“He is not a solicitor on record for the trial,” said Afzainizan.
The court maintained Shafee’s money laundering trial date, which is expected to commence in July.
On Sept 13, Shafee was charged with two counts of money laundering relating to a RM9.5 million payment he received from former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
Shafee was also charged under the Income Tax Act with two counts of making false declarations to the Inland Revenue Board.
The Umno lawyer pleaded not guilty to all four charges.
On the first and second counts, Shafee was alleged to have involved himself in money laundering activities by receiving proceeds of unlawful activities via two cheques belonging to Najib totalling RM4.3 million and RM5.2 million, respectively, on Sept 13, 2013 and Feb 17, 2014.
The offences were allegedly committed at CIMB Bank Bhd in Taman Tunku, Bukit Tunku, here.
On the third and fourth counts, Shafee was alleged to have committed acts contrary to Section 113(1)(a) of the Income Tax Act 1967 by omitting the income he received on Sept 13, 2013 totalling RM4.3 million, and on Feb 17, 2014 totalling RM5.2 million.
He was accused of committing the offences at Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri, Duta branch, Government Complex in Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim here, on March 3, 2015 and June 29, 2015.
All four charges were made under Section 4(1)(a) of the AntiMoney Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
He was released on a RM1 million bail.