.JPG "Tan Sri Shafee Abdullah speaks to reporters outside the Kuala Lumpur High Court October 25, 2018. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Azinuddin Ghazali")
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 25 — The High Court today set December 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 Muhammad Shafee, did not object to it.
Last October 3,the court allowed Muhammad Shafee’s application to transfer the case from the Sessions Court to the High Court.
On September 13, Muhammad 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 Berhad belonging to Mohd Najib Hj Abd Razak which were credited into two CIMB Bank Berhad accounts belonging to the accused.
He was accused of committing both offences at the CIMB Bank Berhad, J2 & K1, Taman Tunku, Bukit Tunku near here on September 13, 2013 and February 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.
Muhammad 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 December 31, 2013 and December 31, 2014.
For the charge, he is accused of leaving out income received on September 13, 2013 amounting to RM4.3 million and income received on February 17, 2014 amounting to RM5.2 million via two AmIslamic Bank Berhad cheques belonging to Mohd Najib Hj Abd Razak which were credited into two CIMB Bank Berhad accounts belonging to the accused, where the accused was required by the Income Tax Act 1967 to make a filing on behalf of the accused.
Muhammad 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) Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities 2001 which provides for a jail sentence not exceeding 15 years and a fine of not less than five times the value of unlawful activities at the time the offences were committed or RM5 million, whichever is higher, upon conviction. — Bernama
