Appeals court postpones verdict again on bid by ex-Tabung Haji boss to strike out graft charges

The Court of Appeal has rescheduled its decision yet again on Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim's appeal to strike out his corruption and money laundering charges.

The three-member panel comprising justices Kamaludin Md Said, Abu Bakar Jais and Che Mohd Ruzima Ghazali postponed its verdict to Sept 5 as the former Tabung Haji chairman is unwell.

Azeez's lawyer Amer Hamzah Arshad informed the court that his client could not attend court today as he had been suffering from acute gastroenteritis since 2am and had gone to seek treatment at the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre.

"We have postponed the case many times and although we don't want to dispute his health, he should not abuse the court’s process," said Kamaludin.

But Amer Hamzah said it was not his client's intention to abuse the court's process and that he would undertake to give the court a copy of Azeez's medical certificate.

The panel was supposed to decide on Azeez's appeal last month but this was postponed to today as Amer Hamzah told the court that he had made representations to the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC).

The lawyer told the court today that he had not received any reply from the AGC.

Azeez, 55, is appealing against the High Court's decision on March 12 last year dismissing his application to strike out three corruption charges involving RM5.2 million in connection with road projects in Perak and Kedah, and 10 money laundering charges involving RM13.9 million which he allegedly received from Menuju Asas Sdn Bhd.

For the three corruption charges, he was alleged to have committed the offences at CIMB Bank, Jalan Tun Perak in Kuala Lumpur on Dec 8, 2010, and at Affin Bank, Puchong City Centre, Selangor, on June 13, 2017, and April 10, 2018.

As for the money laundering charges, Azeez was charged with committing the offences in the Klang Valley between March 8, 2010, and Aug 30, 2018.