KUALA LUMPUR: Umno secretary general Datuk Ahmad Maslan has been acquitted and discharged of his money laundering and giving false statements to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) charges.
High Court judge Datuk Ahmad Shahrir Mohd Salleh made the decision today after the prosecution told the court that they had withdrawn the charges against the former deputy finance minister.
The law firm representing Ahmad, Messrs Shahrul Hamidi & Haziq, issued a statement about its client's acquittal.
It said the prosecution had withdrawn the charges against the accused as he had paid a RM1.1 million compound.
"This settlement process took almost a year before it was accepted and recorded in court today.
"This settlement is not Ahmad's guilty plea to all charges against him.
"It was done in accordance with the law and has gone through a transparent and orderly process.
"This (settlement) is solely for the purpose of this case and has nothing to do with any political factors," the statement read.
It went on to state that the settlement was a win-win situation for all parties in line with the law.
Ahmad, 53, was facing a charge of money laundering by not declaring his real income to the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) on the RM2 million he received from former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
This is a violation of Section 113(1)(a) of the Income Tax Act 1967.
The Umno secretary-general purportedly received the money from Najib via a cheque dated Nov 27, 2013, which he (Ahmad) personally cashed the same day.
The offence was allegedly committed at the IRB Duta branch, Government Office Complex, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim on April 30, 2014.
The charge under Section 4(1)(a) of Amlatfapuaa, carries a fine or five years' jail, or both, if convicted.
The Pontian Member of Parliament also faced another charge of giving false statements to the MACC when he was being questioned by the agency's investigating officer, Mohd Zairi Zainal over the matter.
He allegedly committed the offence at a media conference room at the Parliament building on Jalan Parlimen, here, between 2.45pm and 3.30pm on July 4, 2019.
The charge, framed under Section 32 (8)(c) of the same Act, carries a maximum fine of RM3 million, or imprisonment for up to five years, or both, if convicted.