Ex-Tanjung Offshore boss charged with money laundering, fraud

KUALA LUMPUR: A former managing director of an oil and gas company was charged in the Sessions Court here yesterday with money laundering involving RM13.3 million.

Datuk Harzani Azmi, 49, who was then with Tanjung Offshore Berhad was also charged with fraud involving the sale and purchase of a company’s shares in 2013. He claimed trial to both charges.

On the first charge, Harzani allegedly directed legal firm Mathews Hun Lachimanan to illicitly transfer RM13.3 million from a Client’s Account at Standard Chartered Berhad to a Client Trust Account at Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad.

He is accused of committing the offence at 10-3, Batu 3, Jalan Klang Lama here, between Nov 14 and Nov 27, 2013.

The charge under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001 (Act 613) (AMLA), carries a maximum RM5 million fine or five years’ jail, or both, upon conviction.

On the second charge, Harzani allegedly submitted a working paper titled, “Proposed Acquisition of Remaining Shares In Gas Generators (M) Sdn Bhd (GASTEC)” to his former company’s Board of Directors, which contained misleading information.

The working paper presented by Tanjung Offshore Berhad’s Corporate Financial Division chief Tan Seow Hoe concerned the proposed acquisition of 49 percent of shares in Gas Generators owned by Appolusa Sdn Bhd for RM34.3 million.

Hazani stands accused of inflating the value of the shares to induce the board’s members to enter into a sale and purchase agreement between Appolusa Sdn Bhd and Tanjung Offshore, dated Oct 21, 2013.

He allegedly committed the offence at the Tanjung Offshore Berhad conference room, Wisma UOA, Damansara here at 10 am on Oct 21, 2013.

The charge under Section 366(1)(a) of the Companies Act 1965, carries a maximum imprisonment of 10 years or RM250,000 fine, or both, upon conviction.

Judge Mohd Nasir Nordin set RM200,000 as bail and impounded the accused’s passport pending disposal of the case.

The court set March 23 for remention.

Deputy public prosecutor (DPP) Husmarudin Husin from the AMLA unit and DPP Datuk Umar Saifuddin Jaafar from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission appeared for the prosecution while counsel N. Sivananthan represented the accused. - Bernama