Witness: Ex-director’s wife has four bank accounts

KOTA KINABALU: The Sessions Court here on Thursday was told that the wife of former director of the state Water Department has three fixed deposit and one current accounts which were opened at a bank branch here in 1994 and 1999.

Anicee Yong told judge Abu Bakar Manat that the balance of the four accounts of Fauziah Hj Piut were RM87,817.42, RM29,535.03, RM59,273.29 and RM43,281.70 respectively.

However, the 47-year-old witness said that that the four accounts had been frozen on Nov 4, 2016.

In her witness statement, the 24th witness, who is a deputy manager at a bank here, stated that three fixed deposit accounts were opened on Sept 22, 1999 while the current account was on Nov 14, 1994.

Meanwhile, the 23rd witness testified that Fauziah has one savings account which was opened at a bank branch here on March 25, 2008.

In his witness statement, Patrick Angkui, 52, who is a bank manager, stated that the balance of the said account was RM72,883.28.

The witness also stated that the account had been frozen on Nov 4, 2006. The witness further said that based on the document for account opening, Fauziah’s occupation was a clerk and her education was diploma level.

Fauziah, 57, her husband, Ag Mohd Tahir Mohd Talib, 59, and Lim Lam Beng @ Lim Chee Hong, 68, were tried for alleged money laundering offences involving cash and bank savings amounting to RM61.48 million, as well as unlawful possession of luxury goods.

Fauziah faces 19 charges while Ag Mohd Tahir faces 11 charges under under Section 4 (1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.

She is facing another two joint charges with Ag Mohd Tahir under Section 4 (1)(b) also of the same Act. Her husband also has another charge under Section 4(1)(a) of the same Act.

Ag Mohd Tahir and his wife allegedly committed the offences at his office here, a house in Sembulan, at bank branches, at a condominium, in Sulaman and a tower in Kuala Lumpur between October 4 and Nov 4, 2016.

Lim was alleged to have committed the offences at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission office at Jalan UMS and at a house here between Oct 13 and Nov 8, 2016.

Counsel Marcel Jude Joseph represented Fauziah and Ag Mohd Tahir while counsel Datuk Tan Hock Chuan, Aaron Lau (followed the trial via Zoom), Baldev Singh and Karpaljit Singh acted for Lim.

Deputy public prosecutors Mahadi Abdul Jumaat and Haresh Prakash Somiah handled the trial which will resume on June 13-16.