Remand of 4 extended in Sabah graft case
KOTA KINABALU: The magistrate’s court here yesterday extended the remand order on four suspects, including two top Sabah Water Department officers, as the nation’s biggest corruption scandal continues to unravel.
The remand order on the department’s director, Ag Mohd Tahir Mohd Talib, was extended for five days until Oct 15, while his deputy Teo Chee Kong, his brother and his accountant were remanded for seven more days until Oct 17.
A source at the Malaysian AntiCorruption Commission (MACC) confirmed that magistrate Jessica Ombou Kakayun granted the extension request for the remand order which ended yesterday.
The director and his deputy are alleged to have taken kickbacks and been involved in money laundering from RM3.3 billion worth of federal projects which were disbursed to companies under their siblings’ names.
MACC also received information of several bank accounts belonging to the two suspects in three countries and found that more than RM30 million had been transferred to those accounts.
MACC had seized some RM53.7 million in cash from the houses and offices of the department director who was arrested along with his deputy.
On Monday, a further 127 land grants were seized from the officials’ homes which were estimated to be valued around RM30 million.
The 127 land grants were among the items seized together with an array of gold, precious stone jewellery and luxury watches believed to have been bought with their ill-gotten gains.
Meanwhile, MACC deputy commissioner (operations) Datuk Azam Baki said yesterday that while questioning more witnesses on the scandal, some RM1 million was surrendered to the commission, Bernama reports.
“While giving their testimony, three witnesses came forward to voluntarily return money that they had received,” he said in a statement.