RM6M fine for money launderer

Woman also jailed three years in country’s first case

KUALA LUMPUR: The first person to be charged in the country with money laundering was fined over Rm6mil and jailed for three years.

Dr Hamimah Idruss ( pic), 63, was sentenced to a year’s jail for each of the eight counts of money laundering and three years’ jail for each of the 10 abetment charges.

Sessions Court judge Asmadi Hussin also fined her RM6,394,530.72 and ordered the sentences to run concurrently from yesterday.

In passing sentence, Asmadi said he was satisfied that the defence had failed to raise a reasonable doubt against the charges.

Hamimah, a former executive director of Safire Pharmaceuticals (M) Sdn Bhd, was charged with eight counts of money laundering involving Rm41.3mil.

She was also accused of seven counts of receiving proceeds from unlawful activities using a joint bank account and the accounts of her company and five other firms.

She was also charged with 10 counts of abetting her former employee Yusaini Wan Abi Sabian in forging 10 promissory notes worth US$ 12mil (Rm36.9mil).

The offences were committed in June 2003.

DPP Robert Pasang Alam and Mustaqim Sukarno prosecuted while Harvenderjit Singh acted for Hamimah.

In pleading for leniency and a lower fine, Harvenderjit said Hamimah was a first- time offender and suffered from diabetes and hypertension.

Asmadi allowed a stay of execution for the jail sentences and raised the bail from RM800,000 to Rm1mil pending appeal.