Ex-polsec’s money laundering trial postponed as lawyer Shafee away

April 20, 2012

Hasbie (right) is led out of the courtroom after claiming trial to money laundering, in Shah Alam, March 20, 2012. — File pic

SHAH ALAM, April 20 — The money-laundering trial of a former political secretary to federal minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop has been moved to May 8 to allow senior lawyer Datuk Seri Dr Muhammad Shafee Abdullah to advise the accused, Bernama Online reported today.

Sessions Court judge Mohd Fadhir Harun granted the application for remention by defence lawyer Y. Sheelan Samuagam, who told the court that Shafee was currently out of the country and only due back at month’s end.

On March 20, Hasbie Satar claimed trial today to 28 counts of money laundering totalling RM935,000.

He is also on trial for a similar charge in Butterworth, involving RM2.1 million.

Hasbie was nabbed in February 2010 following an MACC raid at an apartment in Penang, in which approximately RM2 million in loose bills were seized.

The aide was arrested under suspicion of committing acts which fall under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 and Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001. The MACC has reportedly frozen several of his assets and bank accounts in order to facilitate their investigation.

It was previously reported that MACC officers raiding the apartment unit had found bundles of RM5, RM10, RM50 and RM100 notes totalling RM2,134,656 and also seized two vehicles, a four-wheel drive and a BMW luxury vehicle.