Ex-Baling MP gets full acquittal in corruption, money laundering case

Former Baling MP Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim has been acquitted of three charges of corruption and six of money laundering related to road projects in Perak and Kedah. 

Azeez, the former Tabung Haji chairman, was previously granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal for the nine charges by Sessions Court judge Azura Alwi.

At the High Court proceedings today, judicial commissioner Azhar Abdul Hamid allowed the application for a notice of motion by Azeez's lawyer Amer Hamzah Arshad for his client to be directly released from all of the charges. 

This came after deputy public prosecutor Nik Haslinie Hashim told the court that the prosecution had no objection to the application. 

"Since there is no objection from the prosecution, the applicant is now released and acquitted of all the charges," said Azhar.

Amer Hamzah earlier told the court that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, in a letter dated Oct 26, informed that the agency had completed its investigation and that all seized assets had been returned to Azeez.

Azeez was charged with three counts of accepting bribes amounting to RM5.2 million and six charges of money laundering worth RM972,414.60 in relation to road projects in Perak and Kedah, with the offences allegedly committed at five banks in the federal capital between Sept 6, 2010, and April 10, 2018.

The charges were framed under Section 16(a)(A) and Section 28(1)(c) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 which provides for imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount or value of the bribe, upon conviction.

The money laundering charges were framed under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorist Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, punishable under Section 4(1) of the same act.

The law provides for imprisonment of up to 15 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount or value of the proceeds of the illegal activity or RM5 million, whichever is higher, upon conviction.