Malacca state works department director charged with money laundering

KUALA LUMPUR: Malacca state works department director Datuk Khalid Omar was charged with two counts of money laundering, amounting to RM4 million, at the Sessions Court today.
Khalid, 56, was charged with being involved in money laundering activity by having in possession, an amount of RM1,984,797.08 in his Amanah Saham Wawasan 2020 account, which were proceeds from illegal activity, on Sept 1, 2015.
On the second count, he faces a charge of having RM2,135,643.13 in his Amanah Saham Didik account on July 1, 2016. He is alleged to have committed both offences at Amanah Saham Nasional Berhad, Menara PNB, Jalan Tun Razak here.
Both charges are under Section 4 (1) (b) of the Anti- Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001. The offences are punishable with a maximum of 15 years jail or a fine of five times the amount involved or RM5 million, whichever is higher.
Khalid claimed trial to both charges.
DPP Ahmad Akram Gharib said the accused is facing other charges in Malacca court and applied to transfer the case for a joint trial. He said the next mention date for the cases in Malacca is fixed for Nov 4, 2016.
He said the accused was released on a total of RM250,000 bail for the charges and ordered to surrender his passports as a condition to the bail.
He told Sessions judge Azura Alwi he has no objection if the court decided to allow the accused to be released based on the bail order imposed by the Malacca court. He said the accused could be released on a bail order based on the Malacca court order.
Khalid's lawyer, Azrul Zulkifli Stork, said Ahmad Akram's suggestion is "quite fair".
Azura transferred the case to Malacca and said the bail order (in Malacca) and its conditions applies in this case.
On Sept 29, this year, Khalid was charged with 13 charges relating to corruption and three on money laundering. He had claimed trial to the charges.