BUTTERWORTH: An Immigration Department senior officer, charged in Alor Star yesterday with 18 counts of money laundering, was charged in the Sessions Court here today with another eight similar counts.
Mohd Khairi Othman, 38, who is now based at Kelantan Immigration Detention Depot, nodded when asked if he understood the charges read to him.
He however shook his head to indicate he was not guilty of the charges pressed against him, and claimed trial before Judge Sitarunnisa Abdul Aziz.
He was alleged to have committed eight counts of money laundering involving a total of RM4.02 million which was obtained from unlawful activities at banks in Jelutong and Simpang Ampat in Penang between Sept 4, 2015, and Dec 15, 2016.
He was charged under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 which carries a jail sentence of up to 15 years and a fine of five times the amount of the case or RM5 million, whichever is higher.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad Ghazali Muhamad Nadzri asked the court to set bail at RM250,000 as the amount involved was a large sum.
Khairi, through his counsel Ridha Abdah Subri, appealed for bail to be set at RM5,000 for offence.
Ridha said his client not only had to look after his wife and children, but also his mother and mother-in-law, who were staying with him.
"My client is also unlikely to abscond," he added.
Sitarunnisa then allowed bail at RM200,000 with one surety and fixed Feb13 for mention.
Yesterday, Khairi claimed trial to 18 counts of money laundering involving RM9.2 million and two charges of bribery involving a total of RM150,000.
His wife, Norashikin Azmi, 38, and sister, Huziana Othman, 49, were also charged with money laundering and abetment.
Norashikin, a director of two companies, faced five counts of money laundering involving some RM2.5 million, while Huziana, who was a chief nurse at a government hospital, was charged with abetting Khairi by accepting RM500,000 which was allegedly proceeds from unlawful activities.
Khairi was granted bail of RM1.6 million with one surety while Norashikin and Huziana's bail was set at RM200,000 with one surety each. Both Norashikin and Huziana posted bail.
The trio were detained under Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's (MACC) Op Lavish 1 and 2 held in May last year and on Wednesday.