Former JKR engineer faces nine money laundering charges

MELAKA: A former assistant engineer of the Johor Public Works Department (JKR) was charged at the Special Corruption Court here yesterday with nine counts of money laundering amounting to more than RM187,000, two years ago.

The accused Hairudin Ngadiron, 44, however, pleaded not guilty after all the charges against him were read out by a court interpreter before Judge Datuk Mohd Nasir Nordin.

Hairudin, was allegedly involved in nine money laundering transactions which amounted to RM187,898.20 from illegal activities which he used to renovate the house and as payment to resolve a corruption case in Kampung Parit Gantung, Sungai Rambai, Jasin, near here, between January and July 2017.

All the charges were under Section 4 (1) (b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (Act 613), which carries a maximum 15 years in jail and fine of five times the amount or RM5mil, or whichever is higher upon conviction.

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) deputy public prosecutor Mohd Farez Rahman told the court that the accused had been previously charged in the same court here and in Johor Bahru and was out on a RM30,000 bail, besides proposing the court to adopt the previous bail bond and all the cases be dealt with in Melaka.

Judge Mohd Nasir agreed with Mohd Farez's proposal and fixed April 16 for hearing at the court here by calling 26 prosecution witnesses and the accused was allowed bail with the existing RM30,000 guaranteel.

Hairudin who had worked at the Royal Malaysian Police Technical College in Bakri, Muar, was represented by lawyer Mohammad Fadzaial Ab Latif.

The media had earlier reported on Oct 10 last year, the accused pleaded not guilty at the MACC Special Court in Johor Bahru to a charge of receiving a bribe of RM4,200 as payment for a vehicle repair works in 2017.

On Oct 5 last year, in a court here, the accused again pleaded not guilty to seven counts of unlawfully receiving cash and renovation materials from a contractor worth RM465,886.32 as kickbacks to help secure various projects at the college in 2016.