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PETALING JAYA, May 18 — The corruption trial of Baling MP Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim and his brother, Datuk Abdul Latif, who is charged with abetting him, will commence on Aug 18 at the Sessions Court here.
Abdul Azeez, who is Umno Supreme Council member, is facing three counts of receiving bribes totalling RM5.2 million over road projects in Perak and Kedah, and nine counts of money laundering of nearly RM140 million.
During the case management today, Judge Azura Alwi set 21 days for the trial. The dates are Aug 18 and 19; Sept 7 to 11; Oct 9, 16, 23 and 30; and Dec 7 to 18.
Earlier, lawyer M. Athimulan, representing Abdul Azeez, 53, apologised to the court for his client’s absence , saying that the MP had to attend the opening ceremony of the Third Session of the 14th Parliament at the Parliament House.
Abdul Azeez, 53, is facing three charges of receiving bribes totalling RM5.2 million in connection with road projects in Perak and Kedah, as well as nine charges of money laundering, involving almost RM140 million.
The charges for bribery were allegedly committed at the CIMB Bank branch at Menara UAB, Jalan Tun Perak, here on Dec 8, 2010, and at Affin Bank Berhad, Setiawalk, Persiaran Wawasan, Pusat Bandar Puchong, in Petaling, Selangor on June 13, 2017 and April 10, 2018.
On the money laundering charges, Abdul Azeez was alleged to have committed the offences in the Klang Valley between March 8, 2010 and Aug 30, 2018.
The corruption charges were framed under Section 16(a)(A) of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, while the money laundering charges were made under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
Abdul Latif, 62, represented by lawyer Fudhail Zulaini, is accused of abetting Abdul Azeez who allegedly received RM4 million from Mohammad Redzuan as gratification to help Syarikat Menuju Asas Sdn Bhd to secure a road project through limited tender from the Works Ministry.
The project involved the Pantai Baru Coastal Expressway, upgrading works of Federal Road FT005 (Teluk Intan to Kampung Lekir, Perak) worth RM644,480.
Both offences were allegedly committed at the Affin Bank Berhad, Setiawalk, Persiaran Wawasan, Pusat Bandar Puchong, Petaling, Selangor between June 18, 2017 and April 10, 2018.
The charges were made under Section 16(a)(A) and Section 28 (1)(c) of the MACC Act 2009. — Bernama
