Surrendering of money does not mean no action would be taken — Witness

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Water Department corruption trial heard on Wednesday that the surrendering of a huge amount of money by a former deputy director of Water Department to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) did not mean that no action would be taken against him.

Investigation officer Mohd Yussof Awang Osman, 45, who testified before Sessions Court judge Abu Bakar Manat said that he disagreed on a suggestion that he had convinced the deputy director Lim Lam Beng to hand over money withdrawn from his bank account and handed it to MACC to show he was cooperating so that no action would be taken against him.

It was reported on January 23 that Lim had surrendered RM200,000 withdrawn from his bank account and another RM1.9 million from selling his shares in Singapore, to MACC which was allegedly obtained from illegal activities.

To a question, the witness testified that there was action taken against water district engineers, who were arrested and surrendered properties to MACC.

However, the witness further testified that even though there was action taken against those engineers but none of them were charged in court.

The witness had answered “No” to another question that he had called Lim on November 3, 2016 to ask about the surrender of RM1.9 million.

The witness further answered “No” to another suggestion that because of the phone call, Lim had withdrawn the RM1.9 million.

Lim, 68, was jointly tried with former director of the Water Department, Ag Mohd Tahir Mohd Talib, 59, and Ag Mohd Tahir’s wife Fauziah Hj Piut, 57, for alleged money laundering offences involving cash, bank savings as well as an alleged unlawful possession of luxurious items.

Lim was alleged to have committed the offences at the MACC office at Jalan UMS and at a house here between October 13 and November 8, 2016.

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

Fauziah has another two joint charges with Ag Mohd Tahir under Section 4 (1)(b) also of the same Act and Ag Mohd Tahir also has another charge under Section 4(1)(a) of the same Act.

The alleged offences against Ag Mohd Tahir and his spouse were committed at an office here, a house in Sembulan, at bank branches, at a condominium, in Sulaman and a tower in Kuala Lumpur between October 4 and November 4, 2016.

Deputy public prosecutors Mahadi Abdul Jumaat, Haresh Prakash Somiah and Zander Lim handled the trial.

Counsel Baldev Singh, Karpaljit Singh and Kelvin Wong also represented Lim.

Counsel Priskila Akwila Sinem and Mohammed Fareez Mohammed Salleh represented Ag Mohd Tahir and Fauziah.

The trial will resume on March 7-8.