ALOR STAR: Former Malaysia Automotive Robotics and loT Institute (MARii) chief executive officer Datuk Mohamad Madani Sahari was charged with 12 counts of money laundering charges totalling RM1.038 million at the Sessions Court here today.
Madani, 56, pleaded not guilty to all of the charges before judge Rohatul Akmar Abdullah.
For the first 10 charges, Madani was charged with indirectly engaging in transactions involving proceeds of unlawful activities through his lawyers, Norizan & Associates's Hong Leong Islamic Bank account, amounting to RM1 million.
As for the remaining charges, Madani was accused of receiving fees through illegal transactions amounting to RM19,000 from Trillion Cove Holdings Bhd, on each charge, accrued from the purchase of RM1 million worth of Redeemable Preference Shares-i.
The charges are under Section 4(1)b of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLA).
He faces up to 15 years' jail and a fine of at least five times the sum obtained from money laundering or RM5 million, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
Madani is accused of committing the offence at the Maybank branch in Taman Manggis III, Kulim, between Sept 7 in 2021 and Feb 22, 2022.
Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) deputy public prosecutor Noor Syafina Mohd Radzuan proposed RM300,000 bail with one surety.
She also requested the case be transferred and heard with Madani's other charges at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court on June 9.
The court granted the applications.
Counsel Wan Aizuddin Wan Mohammed and Muhammad Rahmat Geneid represented the accused.
Madani on April 14 pleaded not guilty to receiving a RM5 million bribe at the Sessions Court in Shah Alam
He was then brought before the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court on May 8, where he again pleaded not guilty to charges of soliciting a RM5 million bribe.