Former cooperative chairman claims trial to graft, money laundering charges
ALOR SETAR: The former chairman of a cooperative entered a plea of not guilty in the Sessions Court yesterday, facing two charges of corruption and one count of money laundering related to projects totaling RM9.7 million in 2016 and 2017.
The charges against the accused, Mazlan Hashim, 65, were read out by an interpreter before Judge Rohatul Akmar Abdullah.
The first charge involves allegedly asking for a bribe of 10 percent of an RM9.7 million project, which amounted to RM970,000, from the director of Smart SL Technology Sdn Bhd.
The bribe was allegedly an inducement to assist the company obtain a tender from Myangkasa Services Sdn Bhd for the Design, Supply, Build, Test Acceptance, and Commissioning of a 1MWp Solar Farm and Green House on part of Lot 3375 Mukim Padang Kerbau, Sungai Tiang, Pendang.
He allegedly committed the offense at No. 4, 1st Floor, Susuran Sosenati, Sosenati Business Centre here in Nov 2016.
As for the second charge, Mazlan is accused of accepting a bribe of RM274,608 from the director of the same company for the same purpose at the Alor Setar Branch of Affin Islamic Bank Berhad here on Jan 19, 2017.
Both the charges were framed under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 (Act 694) which carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years and a fine of five times the total value of the bribe or RM10,000 whichever is higher, upon conviction.
For the money laundering case, Mazlan in his capacity as chairman of the Kedah Darulaman Development Cooperative Berhad is alleged to have transferred ill-gotten gains amounting to RM265,000 from the cooperative’s account to his account on Jan 19, 2017, at the Alor Setar Branch of Affin Islamic Bank Berhad here.
This charge was framed under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorist Financing, and Proceeds from Illegal Activities Act 2001, which is punishable by up to 15 years imprisonment, and a fine of not less than five times the value of the illegal activities proceeds or RM5 million, whichever is higher.
MACC deputy public prosecutor Farah Ezlin Yusop Khan Maziah Mohaidee appeared for the prosecution, while the accused was represented by lawyer Mohd Zaharudeen Harun.
During the proceedings, the prosecution apprised the court that the accused is concurrently facing three charges under Section 16(a)(A) of the MACC Act 2009 (Act 694) at the Shah Alam Sessions Court, and sought to consolidate all cases to be jointly tried in the aforementioned court.
Farah Ezlin also informed the court that the Shah Alam Sessions Court had set bail at RM30,000 with one surety, for the accused’s passport to be surrendered and for him to report to the Shah Alam MACC office at the beginning of every month.
The prosecution then requested for the same bail and conditions for yesterday’s charges.
The judge allowed the application to transfer the case to the Shah Alam Sessions Court after the defence posed no objection.