Brothers in Gatco probe remanded
Businessmen will be in custody for three days
PUTRAJAYA: Two Datuks who are brothers have been remanded for three days as antigraft officials further their probe into the Great Alonioners Trading Corporation Bhd (Gatco) issue.
One of the suspects is said to be the founder and chief executive officer of a famous restaurant chain and companies while the other suspect is the chain’s chief operating officer.
The brothers, aged 58 and 54, were brought to the Putrajaya courts complex at 9.25am where a group of people, believed to be friends and family members, were waiting for them.
The duo were brought before magistrate Mohd Nor Hafidzuddin Yusoff.
The suspects were picked up by investigative officers at different locations in the Klang Valley on Monday as the probe into the case moved into high gear.
A group of settlers who invested in the scheme alleged there was corruption when the land was disposed of 13 years ago. The conflict over ownership of the land dated back to 1977 when Gatco was incorporated.
The company was formed by the National Union of Plantation Workers for the purpose of a land development scheme for its members where as part of the scheme, settlers paid a RM7,600 deposit each for their allocated plot of land.
However, the scheme failed and Gatco went bankrupt and the appointed liquidators began negotiations to sell the land, which was sold to Thamarai Holdings Sdn Bhd in 2006, kicking off the dispute.
MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad then announced the setting up of a special task force to investigate the issue following information acquired from the Gatco Settlers Action Committee.