Ahmad Maslan fails in bid to have money laundering charges dropped

KUALA LUMPUR: Former Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan has to go for a full trial for his money laundering and false statement charges.

This was after the High Court today reaffirmed the Sessions Court's decision to dismiss Ahmad's application to drop all charges against him.

In his decision, judicial commissioner Datuk Aslam Zainuddin said there was no error in the lower court's decision in dismissing Ahmad's application.

He said there was no reason to review the Sessions Court's decision.

On July 24, the Sessions Court had dismissed Ahmad's application after ruling that his bid was premature and the charges framed against him were not defective.

As such, the judge said the charges were not groundless.

The court fixed Oct 1 and 2, Oct 16, Oct 23, Nov 6 and Dec 24 for trial.

Ahmad, 54, had filed the application for his charges to be dropped on Feb 21, citing that the charges under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act (AMLATFAPUAA) 2001 against him were 'baseless'.

He is facing a charge of money laundering by not declaring to the Inland Revenue Board (IRB) RM2 million he received from former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak via a cheque dated Nov 27, 2013, in his tax filing for the year.

He also faces another charge of giving false statements to the MACC when it was recorded under Section 32 of AMLATFAPUAA by the agency's investigating officer, Mohd Zairi Zainal.

According to the charge sheet, among Ahmad's statements which were allegedly false was his denial that he had received any money from Najib.

He allegedly committed the offence at a media conference room at the Parliament building at Jalan Parliament here, between 2.45pm and 3.30pm on July 4, last year.

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