KUALA LUMPUR: Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has maintained his not guilty plea on three counts of money laundering involving RM47 million five years ago.
Najib maintained the plea when the charges were re-read at the High Court during case mention before High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan today.
For the three charges, Najib was accused of being involved in money laundering by receiving a total of RM47 million in illegal proceeds in his three AMPrivate banking accounts.
He had allegedly received RM27 million and then RM10 million on two separate occasions through his three AmPrivate accounts.
The offences were allegedly committed at AmIslamic Bank Bhd, Ambank Group Building, No 55, Jalan Raja Chulan on July 8, 2014.
The charges framed under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001, carries a maximum fine of RM5 million or an imprisonment not exceeding five years or both, upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Manoj Kurup prosecuted while Najib was represented by counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah. The court fixed April 17 for mention.
Meanwhile, at a separate High Court, judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali fixed March 18 for case management for Najib’s corruption charges involving SRC International Sdn Bhd totalling RM42 million.
“We will inform the development of Najib’s appeal at the Court of Appeal which was fixed for hearing on March 11 and March 15,” Manoj said.
The Court of Appeal will hear the appeals by Najib on his application for a gag order to prohibit the media from discussing the merits of his criminal cases; his application for the recovery of documents and statements, and his challenge on the appointment of lawyer Datuk Sulaiman Abdullah as the lead prosecutor in his seven charges pertaining to SRC International.
The Court of Appeal would also be hearing Najib’s appeal on the withdrawal of transfer certificate.