All jewellery, wristwatches genuine, says expert
KOTA KINABALU: An expert testified in the money laundering trial of the former director of the state Water Department and his wife on Wednesday that all the jewellery and wristwatches were genuine.
Siow Der Ming told the Sessions Court that in December 2016, he had conducted valuation on 346 jewelry items, 86 wristwatches and three pens worth RM2.47 million, RM2.39 million and RM5,500 respectively.
The 21st witness, who is manager of a jewelry company in Selangor, said that as far as he could recall, based on his valuation report, items listed as jewelry apart from accessories, were all genuine.
As for wristwatches, the witness said that as far he could recall, all the branded wristwatches were genuine.
Meanwhile, for the pens, the witness testified that they were also genuine.
To a question by deputy public prosecutor Mahadi Abdul Jumaat, the witness said that for the 86 wristwatches, only 70 percent were considered to be luxurious items.
The witness added that the pens were considered to be luxurious items.
To another question, Siow said that based on his experience it was not normal for an individual to have million ringgit worth of jewelry but at the same time it was not impossible too to have such amount of items.
The 65-year-old witness further said that based on his experience it was not normal for an individual to have million ringgit wristwatches if that person is not a watch collector.
To another question, the witness, who has been in the industry for 32 years, testified that he used a usual technique to evaluate the jewelry while for the wristwatches, he evaluated them based on his experience as wristwatches seller and he is also watch collector.
As for the branded pens, the authenticity evaluation was based on the finishing.
Besides Ag Mohd Tahir Mohd Talib, 59, and Fauziah Hj Piut, 57, former deputy director of the department, Lim Lam Beng @ Lim Chee Hong, 68, was also tried for alleged money laundering offences involving cash and bank savings amounting to RM61.48 million, as well as unlawful possession of luxury goods.
Fauziah faces 19 charges while Ag Mohd Tahir faces 11 charges under Section 4 (1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
Fauziah is facing 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 his 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.
Lim was alleged to have committed the offences at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission office at Jalan UMS and at a house here between October 13 and November 8, 2016.
Meanwhile, the 22nd witness, Khaled Abd Marlik Hakim testified that the investment balance at the only ASB account of Fauziah which was frozen was RM680,793.41.
The 39-year-old witness also testified that the account was opened at a bank branch here on November 22, 1990.
Meanwhile, the Sessions Court decided that an application to release items worth millions of ringgit which include luxurious items such as gold, non-gold accessories, branded wristwatches and pens, made by Ag Mohd Tahir and Fauziah in the middle of their money laundering trial was premature since it is still ongoing.
Judge Abu Bakar Manat said that the items, which have not been marked as exhibits, were subject matter in this case.
The judge also said that Ag Mohd Tahir and his wife can make the application at the end of the trial after all witnesses have given their evidence and items have been marked as exhibits.
Abu Bakar further said that the court will fix a date for the physical identification of those items at Bank Negara here after all witnesses relating to these items have testified.
He explained this was to avoid logistics and security problems and also to ensure the continuity of the evidence given by the related witnesses.
Counsel Marcel Jude Joseph, who represented Ag Mohd Tahir and his wife, had made the oral application for the items be released after examinationin-chief on an expert was completed.
Marcel argued that the seizure of the said items was allegedly not under the Anti-Money Laundering Act.
He said that the seizure was made under Section 41 (2) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act and added that the seizure of these items expired on April 4, 2018.
Therefore, the counsel submitted that the items at Bank Negara Malaysia are allegedly held under unlawful seizure for the last four years.
Earlier, Mahadi told the court that another method will be used to mark these items as exhibits, apart from bringing all of them to court since they are kept in a vault at Bank Negara.
Mahadi also said that the prosecution had decided that the markings of the items will be done on a later date after all related witnesses have testified.
Marcel raised no objection on the issue of items markings and informed the court that the defence will reserve cross examination on the said expert witness until the witness had identified all the items.
Counsel Datuk Tan Hock Chuan, Aaron Lau (followed the trial via Zoom), Baldev Singh and Karpaljit Singh acted for Lim.
The trial resumes on Thursday.