KUALA LUMPUR: Businessman Adam Radlan Adam Muhammad has entered a not-guilty plea in a trial involving the use of illicitly obtained funds.
The Bersatu division deputy chief entered his plea after the charge was read before Sessions Court Judge Rozina Ayob today.
Adam Radlan is accused of using RM500,000 from his CIMB Bank account between December 2021 and February 2022 at the bank's Bukit Tunku branch. The alleged offence occurred between December 2021 and February 2022.
The charge falls under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing, and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
If convicted, Adam Radlan could face a prison term of up to 15 years and a fine equal to at least five times the value of the proceeds involved, or RM5 million, whichever is higher.
He was represented by Rajan Navaratnam, while Deputy Public Prosecutor Nor Asma Ahmad handled the prosecution.
The case is scheduled for further mention on Oct 31. Notably, Adam Radlan faces five additional accusations in relation to the Jana Wibawa programme.
On Feb 28, he was charged with soliciting a RM2 million bribe from Lian Tan Chuan to assist Nepturis Sdn Bhd in securing a RM141 million government contract to build the Klang Utara police headquarters.
On Feb 21, he faced allegations of soliciting and accepting a bribe of RM500,000 to aid MIE Infrastructure and Energy Sdn Bhd in obtaining a letter agreement for a road construction project in Perlis under Jana Wibawa.
The following day, he pled not guilty to two additional charges involving bribes totaling RM4.1 million related to the programme in the Shah Alam Sessions Court.
It is unclear whether the current charge is related to the previous charges.