KOTA KINABALU: A former Mara Incorporated Sdn Bhd chairman was charged with two counts of money laundering involving RM10 million at the Sessions Court here.
Datuk Mohammad Lan Allani, 65, pleaded not guilty to the two charges read before judge Abu Bakar Manat today.
The first and second charges stated the former Sulabayan assemblyman had allegedly transferred RM3 million and RM7 million, respectively, from his CIMB Bank Private Banking Portfolio account to his CIMB Bank current account, believed to be proceeds from illegal activities, at CIMB Bank Jalan Sagunting, Central Building, here on Dec 10, 2012.
Both charges fall under Section 4(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001 which provides for a fine of up to RM5 million or a jail term of up to five years or both, upon conviction.
Earlier, the prosecution proposed bail of RM100,000.
Counsel Luke Ressa Balang who represented Mohammad Lan said they have no objection to the proposed bail amount and asked for one local surety.
Abu Bakar allowed bail of RM100 000 with one local surety and fixed June 30 for pre-trial case management.
No additional conditions as the accused's passport were already kept by the court when he was charged with corruption at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court, last year.
The prosecution was led by Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Allan Suman Pillai and assisted by DPP Haresh Prakash Somiah and DPP Mohd Shahrom Idris.
It was reported that Mohamad Lan was also charged with 20 counts of corruption amounting to RM20.45 million involving property deals in Melbourne, Australia.
He was charged under Sections 16(a) and 17(a) of the MACC Act 2009 which carries a fine of not less than 10 times the value of the bribe or RM1 million, whichever is higher, or imprisonment for up to 20 years, or both.
All the offences were allegedly committed at several locations, including at the Maybank Mont Kiara Branch and Solaris Mont Kiara Kuala Lumpur between September 2012 and July 26, 2013, and at CIMB Bank, Jalan Sagunting, Central Building, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah on Dec 10, 2012.