KUALA LUMPUR: The prosecution will object the application to transfer the corruption charges against Riza Shahriz Abdul Aziz, the stepson of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to the High Court.
Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib said this when met after the management of the case before High Court registrar officer Mahyuddin Mohmad Som, here, today.
“This case is not complicated and I think Sessions Court judge Rozina Ayob is very competent to hear the case.
“Thus, we will object their application to transfer the case from the Sessions Court to the High Court.
“The court also told both parties to submit their written application before Sept 17,” he said.
Meanwhile, counsel Syazwani Mohd Nawawi, representing Riza Shahriz, said the defence team had filed the application for transfer as the case was complicated and involved troubled sovereign state fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).
“We filed an affidavit on Aug 16,” she said.
The High Court then fixed Sept 23 for hearing.
On July 5, Riza Shahriz pleaded not guilty to five charges of involvement in money laundering activities involving US$248 million (RM1.25 billion), which were allegedly misappropriated from 1MDB.
According to the charges, Riza Shahriz, popularly known as Riza Aziz, allegedly received proceeds from unlawful activities that originated from 1MDB amounting to US$248,173,104 which was transferred into two Red Granite Productions Inc’s accounts via wire transfer.
Two transactions of US$1,173,104 and US$9,000,000 were made from an account belonging to Good Star Ltd at RBS Coutts Bank, Zurich, Switzerland.
The other three transactions of US$133,000,000, US$60,000,000 and US$45,000,000 came from an account belonging to Aabar Investments PJS Limited at BSI SA Lugano, Switzerland.
The offences were allegedly committed at the City National Bank, Los Angeles Main, 525 South Flower Street, Los Angeles, California, the United States, and at BSI Bank Ltd, 7 Temasek Boulevard, #32-01 Suntec Tower One, Singapore, between April 12, 2011 and Nov 14, 2012.
The charges were framed under Section 41(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001, which carries a fine not exceeding RM5 million or imprisonment not exceeding five years, or both.