SHAH ALAM, Feb 15 — Two men linked with Bangi-based Aman Palestin were charged today with 19 counts of cheating and 52 counts of criminal breaches of trust each, in addition to being jointly charged with 19 counts of money laundering — involving a sum of RM39,530,300.96 in total.
The accused were Aman Palestin chief executive officer Awang Suffian Awang Piut, and its executive director Abdullah Zaik Abd Rahman who was formerly president of the controversial Islamist group Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma).
Both of them were charged in their capacity as directors of a company called Samudra Champa Sdn Bhd, which was entrusted with assets in the form of money belonging to Aman Palestin Bhd.
They were jointly charged with alleged money laundering in 19 counts between June 2018 and May last year through the purchase of several housing and commercial properties worth RM12,833,772.16 in total.
Under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLA), they can be imprisoned up to 15 years, and fined of not less than five times the sum or value of the proceeds of the unlawful activity or RM5 million, whichever is the higher.
Earlier they were charged with allegedly cheating the charity group's board of directors, by marking up a total of RM5,750,030 for the purchases of gold bullion worth nearly RM31 million between September 2021 and July last year.
The charges came under Section 420 of the Penal Code, with the guilty facing imprisonment between one and 10 years with whipping, and liable to a fine.
They were also charged with 52 counts each of alleged criminal breaches of trust (CBT) involving funds worth RM20,946,498.80.
They were charged under Section 409 of the Penal Code for several alleged transactions between March 2018, and November last year. If found guilty, Section 409 stipulates a punishment of imprisonment between two and 20 years with whipping, and liable to a fine.
The duo pleaded not guilty to all charges and claimed trial before Sessions Court judge Datuk Anita Harun, who set March 13 for the next mention of the case.
Their bail was set at RM1 million each, with half to be deposited by today and the remaining before the next date of hearing.
In addition, a third man — Samudra Champa's director Khairudin Mohd Ali — was also charged with three counts of alleged money laundering involving RM6,038,016.60 between June 2022 and May last year.
He also claimed trial, and bail was set at RM200,000 with the same conditions.
The prosecution was led by Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib, while the defendants were represented by lawyer Siti Mardhiyyah Zamani on behalf of Datuk Zamani Ibrahim.
In November last year, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) said it had frozen 41 bank accounts linked to Aman Palestin and several other companies following the investigation into the alleged misappropriation of RM70 million by the charity organisation.
Aman Palestin had earlier this month filed for a judicial review over the freeze, claiming an urgent need to send aid to the Palestinians affected by the conflict in the Gaza Strip.
However, the Attorney General's Chambers is expected to object to the leave for the review, with Senior Federal Counsel Nur Irmawatie Daud informing the matter during the mention of the case before High Court Judge Datuk Amarjeet Singh.
According to Aman Palestin’s official website, the Bangi-based charitable organisation was founded in 2004 to collect donations for those affected by conflicts in Palestine, Syria and Lebanon.
Besides Abdullah Zaik, another of Aman Palestin's director, Zaini Awang, is also an Isma leader, while an adviser Zainur Rashid is Isma’s current vice-president.
