KUALA LUMPUR: A highway construction company director has been charged with multiple financial crimes involving more than RM450 million, alongside related cases implicating his wife and a former company director.
Tan Sri Abu Sahid Mohamed, 74, director of Maju Holdings Sdn Bhd, faced four counts of criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving over RM313 million and 13 counts of money laundering totalling RM139.2 million.
The charges relate to the proposed MEX II highway construction project. Abu Sahid, who appeared in court in a wheelchair, pleaded not guilty before Sessions Court Judge Suzana Hussin.
The court allowed bail of RM1.5 million with one surety, ordered the surrender of his passport, and fixed Nov 3 for case mention.
Judge Suzana also approved the prosecution’s application for a joint trial, consolidating all 17 charges into a single proceeding.
The CBT charges allege dishonest misappropriation of company funds from a Bukit Tunku bank account between May 2016 and October 2019, under Section 409 of the Penal Code, which carries a potential imprisonment of two to 20 years, caning, and fines.
The money laundering counts involve RM116.4 million in transfers to individuals and companies, and RM22.8 million disposed of through cheque withdrawals between 2016 and 2018.
These fall under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, punishable by up to 15 years’ imprisonment and heavy fines.
In a separate Sessions Court before Judge Rosli Ahmad, Abu Sahid’s wife, Puan Sri Noor Azrina Mohd Azmi, 48, was charged with receiving RM67.1 million in illicit proceeds from her husband’s account into her own between March and November 2017.
She pleaded not guilty.
The charge, framed under Section 4(1)(b) of the same Act, carries up to 15 years in jail and fines of at least five times the sum involved, or RM5 million, whichever is higher.
Meanwhile, former company director Datuk Yap Wee Leong, 68, was charged with 17 counts of submitting forged documents for the “Proposed Lebuhraya Putrajaya to KLIA (MEX II)” project, involving RM314.5 million.
The alleged offences occurred at Maju Tower, Jalan Sultan Ismail, between June 2017 and April 2018.
He was charged under Section 471 of the Penal Code, which carries up to two years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both.
Judge Rosli granted Noor Azrina and Yap bail of RM500,000 and RM1 million respectively, with one surety each, and ordered the surrender of their passports.
Both cases will also be mentioned on Nov 3. – Bernama
