KUCHING: A former administrative assistant with the Social Welfare Department pleaded not guilty to 34 charges of money laundering and three charges of criminal breach of trust with a total value of almost RM15 million.
The accused, Mohd Zairull Arzuan Mohd Shamsuddin @ Ang Chui Thong, 38, made the plea after the charges were read out at four Sessions Court here, today.
He was charged under Section 4A (1) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorist Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act (AMLATFPUAA) 2001 and Section 409 of the Penal Code for criminal breach of trust.
The four judges of the Sessions Court then allowed the accused to be released on bail totaling RM365,000 with two sureties and also scheduled May 10 for the next mention of the case.
Regarding the charges under Section 409 of the Penal Code, he was accused of breaching trust involving Sarawak Social Welfare Department staff salaries between June 2019 and December 2021, totaling RM10.2 million.
In the case under Section 4A(1) (AMLATFPUAA) 2001, he faces 34 charges of money laundering worth RM4.7 million between December 2020 and January 2022.
The four judges presiding over the case are Session 1 Court Judge Iris Awen Jon, Session 2 Court Judge Afidah Abdul Rahman, Session 3 Court Judge Musli Abdul Hamid, and Session Court 4 Judge, Saiful Bahri Adzmi.
The accused, currently working as an e-hailing driver after resigning from the Sarawak Social Welfare Department in 2021, was represented by lawyer Christopher Bada.