Former Sabah CM slapped with 16 charges of money laundering involving more than US$40mil.

Former Sabah CM pleads not guilty to laundering over US$40mil 10 years ago

KUALA LUMPUR: Former Sabah chief minister Tan Sri Musa Aman has been slapped with 16 additional charges of money laundering involving US$37.8mil and US$2.5mil allegedly committed more than 10 years ago.

The 68-year-old pleaded not guilty to the charges before Sessions Court judge Rozina Ayob here yesterday.

The charges were read out to Musa as he sat in the dock due to health reasons.

According to the first charge, Musa allegedly ordered one Richard Christopher Barnes, 67, to open a bank account at UBS AG Bank in Singapore under the name Richard Christopher Barnes, to receive the proceeds from illegal activities.

Musa also faces an alternative charge to the first charge, where he allegedly hid his belongings which were proceeds from illegal activities at the same place and time.

For the second to the 15th charges, Musa allegedly received US$17,195,700 from one Chia Tien Foh; US$4,883,375 from Young Generation Corp; US$4,044,956.82 from one Lo Man Heng; US$1,413,681.74 from one Mazlan Zakaria; US$7.3mil and S$2.5mil from Axon Group Ltd; US$1,951,775.50 from Well Capital Finance Limited; US$650,000 from Innovative Information Ltd; and US$406,003.29 from Portland Trading Pte Ltd, through Barnes’ bank account.

For the 16th charge, Musa was accused of ordering Barnes to transfer all assets and future inflows – which were allegedly proceeds from illegal activities – from Barnes’ bank account into his own account at UBS AG Bank in Zurich, Switzerland.

The offences were allegedly committed at UBS AG Bank in Singapore and UBS AG Bank in Hong Kong between June 21, 2006, and May 14, 2008.

The charges were framed under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001, which carries a sentence of up to 15 years in prison as well as a fine of no less than five times the amount of illegal proceeds or RM5mil – whichever is higher – upon conviction.

DPP Datuk Raja Rozela Raja Toran did not offer bail.

She also asked for the case to be tried together with Musa’s previous case before the same court involving 35 charges and US$63mil.

Lawyer Francis Ng, who represented the accused, informed the court that his client received a letter from the Independent Commission Against Corruption of Hong Kong (ICAC) that was in conflict with the current prosecution.

The letter stated that the ICAC had completed its investigation on Musa and agreed that no further probe would be conducted.

“We just want to indicate to this court that this is a precursor of what we will be applying at the High Court,” he said.

Rozina then told the defence to file a proper application.

She allowed the prosecution’s application for a joint trial with the previous case and ordered that Musa’s previous bail be used in this case.

The case is fixed for mention on April 15.

On Nov 5, 2018, Musa claimed trial to 35 counts of graft amounting to US$63mil relating to timber concessions in Sabah.

The offences were allegedly committed between Dec 24, 2004, and Nov 6, 2008.