Ex-KBS senior officer renovates bungalow for over RM1.5m, court told

KUALA LUMPUR: A witness told the Sessions Court today that a former senior officer of the Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) had renovated and upgraded a bungalow in Kajang at a cost of RM1,551,862.70.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) principal senior assistant superintendent Asmawi Kulup Lam said the information was obtained from the invoice submitted as a case exhibit in the trial of former KBS' Finance Division secretary, Otman Arsahd.
He said the invoice was issued under the name of Otman, who is accused of 32 charges of misusing his position and submitting false claims involving RM38.4 million.
"The information on the invoice stated that a sum of RM1,428,850 was paid for the renovation and upgrading of a bungalow, while RM123,012.70 being the unpaid balance," he said during examination-in-chief by MACC deputy public prosecutor Norzilati Izhani Zainal.
Asmawi, 37, who is the prosecution's 49th witness, also submitted as case exhibits eight Amanah Saham Bumiputera (ASB) and Amanah Saham Bumiputera 2 (ASB2) passbooks of Otman; his wife, Mastura Annuar; and their two children, totalling RM2,133,434.55.
"We have also impounded Otman's Tabung Haji and Bank Simpanan Nasional Giro passbooks amounting to RM127,302.44," he said.
In addition, Asmawi submitted as exhibits six 'Regal' brand cloth of different colours and copies of insurance payment receipts for a Volkswagen Golf GTI car bearing registration number WXA92, under the name of third accused Abdul Ghafar Abdurahiman, which were paid in 2014 and 2016 at RM3,614.66 and RM3,280.59, respectively.
He also submitted various receipts issued under Otman's son's name for the maintenance and purchase of car accessories totalling over RM23,000, and one under Mastura's name for the purchase of a Cartier ring worth RM268,000.
Also submitted as case exhibits were six Maybank cheque books issued to Dial Ex Sdn Bhd and proof of purchase of return flight tickets for Otman, his wife and two children to Melbourne from Feb 23 to March 15, 2015, which were priced at RM1,849 each.
On April 21, 2016, Otman, 59, represented by lawyer Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali, was charged with 64 counts of receiving RM16.623 million allegedly from unlawful proceeds, through cheques which were deposited into his Maybank, RHB and CIMB Berhad accounts between March 7, 2012 and Dec 11, 2015.
Besides Otman, a director of a sports company affiliated with the ministry, Abdul Gafar Abdurahiman, 44, and his wife, Siti Rohanah Hussien, 44, who is a housewife, were each charged with 63 counts of transferring RM15.723 million, believed to be the revenue from unlawful activities, from their three companies' accounts into a bank account owned by Otman during the same period.
They were alleged to have committed the offence at different locations including RHB Bank branch in Precinct 8, Putrajaya; Menara Maybank in Jalan Tun Perak, and Maybank branch in Jalan Raja Laut.
Otman, Abdul Gafar and Siti Rohanah were charged under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001 (AMLATFA), which carries a maximum fine of RM5 million or imprisonment of up to five years, or both, if found guilty.
They were also charged under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, which carries a maximum jail term of 15 years and fine of not less than five times the sum of the unlawful activity's proceeds, if convicted.
Abdul Gafar and Siti Rohanah were represented by lawyer Datuk Seri Jahaberdeen Mohamed Yunoos.
The hearing before Judge Azura Alwi will resume from May 14 to 17. — Bernama