‘Datuk’ charged with laundering over RM8 million

A man with a “Datuk” title was charged at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court today with 16 counts of money laundering involving more than RM8 million in proceeds from unlawful activities.

Ahmad Azwan Aboo Mansoor, 51, pleaded not guilty to the charges before judge Hasbullah Adam.

On the first to the seventh count, he was alleged to have disposed of RM815,863.06 in ill-gotten gains from his savings account at the Taman Melawati branch of Bank Islam Malaysia Bhd between April 2016 and April 2018.

He also faces five charges of transferring RM3,020,299.98, allegedly proceeds from unlawful activities, from his bank account to another belonging to him as well as two others, one belonging to a man and the other to a company, at the same place between June 11, 2016 and Dec 20, 2017.

On the four other charges, Azwan was charged with receiving RM4,180,396.59 in ill-gotten gains which were deposited into his savings accounts at the Taman Melawati branch of Bank Islam Malaysia Bhd and Taman Setiawangsa branch of Malayan Banking Bhd between Dec 10, 2016 and March 9, 2018.

The charges were framed under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act, which provides for imprisonment of up to 15 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount of the ill-gotten gains, or RM5 million, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

Azwan was allowed bail of RM50,000 with one surety. The court set April 22 for mention.

The prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutor Rohaiza Zainal, while lawyer Harjinder Singh represented Azwan.