SEREMBAN, Aug 18 ― A company owner pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here today to 22 counts of money laundering, involving cigarette smuggling.
Chuah Boon Leng, 54, made the plea after the charges were read out in Mandarin to him before judge Diana Md Razali.
On the first to the 18th count, Chuah was alleged to have used his current accounts at Maybank, CIMB and Hong Leong Bank, and his company account at Maybank as a platform to commit money laundering.
For the 19th to the 22nd charge, he was alleged to have committed money laundering by transferring RM550,000 from his account at Maybank to an account at CIMB.
All the offences were allegedly committed at the Seremban 2 branch offices of the banks concerned between October 1, 2014 and May 24, 2019.
He was charged under Section 4(1) (b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, which provides an imprisonment for up to 15 years and fine of five times the amount of proceeds from unlawful activities, or RM5 million, whichever is higher, if found guilty.
The court allowed Chuah bail of RM80,000 in one surety for all charges and set September 15 for mention.
The prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutor Harris Ong Mohd Jeffery Ong, while Chuah was represented by lawyer Ariff Ameer. ― Bernama
