KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court today set Dec 5 for management of the case involving prominent lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, who is facing two charges of money laundering and two counts of making incorrect filings under the Income Tax Act 1967.
Judge Datuk Azman Abdullah fixed the date after the prosecution, conducted by former Federal Court judge Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram, who has been appointed as senior deputy public prosecutor, informed the court that several documents had yet to be served to the defence.
Lawyer Harvinderjit Singh, representing Shafee, did not object to it.
On Oct 3, the court allowed Shafee’s application to transfer the case from the Sessions Court to the High Court.
On Sept 13, Shafee claimed trial at the Sessions Court here to two counts of receiving proceeds from illegal activities, each amounting to RM4.3 million and RM5.2 million via two cheques from AmIslamic Bank Bhd belonging to Datuk Seri Najib Razak, which were credited into two CIMB Bank Bhd accounts belonging to the accused.
He was accused of committing both offences at the CIMB Bank branch at J2 & K1, Taman Tunku, Bukit Tunku near here on Sept 13, 2013 and Feb 17, 2014.
Both charges were filed under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001 which provides for a maximum fine of RM5 million and imprisonment not exceeding five years or both upon conviction.
Shafee was also charged with being involved directly in transactions involving proceeds from illegal activities namely making an incorrect tax return breaching Paragraph 113(1)(a) of the Income Tax Act 1967 for the Financial Year ended Dec 31, 2013 and Dec 31, 2014.
For the charge, he is accused of leaving out income relating to the two aforementioned cheques.
Shafee is alleged to have committed both offences at the Inland Revenue Board, Duta Branch, Government Office Complex, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim, here on March 3, 2015 and June 29, 2015.
The charges were filed under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Action 2001 which provides for a jail sentence not exceeding 15 years and a fine of not less than five times the value at the time the offences were committed or RM5 million, whichever is higher, upon conviction. – Bernama