200 people may testify in RM61m Sabah Water Dept case

About 200 witnesses are expected to testify against a former Sabah Water Department director and two others in a money laundering case involving a total of RM61.48 million, the Sessions Court in Kota Kinabalu heard today.

However, deputy public prosecutor from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Husmaruddin Hussin told the court there was a possibility that not all of the witnesses would be called to testify.

He also said that the prosecution had served the defence with the necessary documents in the form of a compact disc (CD) and invited the counsel to the Sabah MACC office should they need to inspect the actual documents.

Counsel PJ Pereira and Baldev Singh requested two months before trial commences for the defence to inspect the voluminous documents at the MACC office.

Judge Abu Bakar Manat, however, fixed eight days of trial between July 4-28 and another eight days between Aug 8-25.

He said any change to the dates of trial could be made during the final date for case management on May 4, which he set following the defence's two-month request to inspect the actual documents.

On Dec 29 last year, former Sabah Water Department director Ag Mohd Tahir Mohd Talib, 54, pleaded not guilty to eight counts of possessing RM56.9 million in cash and in four bank accounts, two charges for unlawful possession of six luxury vehicles and another charge with unlawful possession of 86 branded wrist watches.

He also pleaded not guilty with his wife, Fauziah Piut, 51, to two counts of unlawful possession of jewellery, while Fauziah was charged with another 19 offences for unlawful possession of jewellery and luxury bags, as well as a total of RM2.2 million in various bank accounts.

Another accused, Sabah Finance Ministry technical and engineering adviser Lim Lam Beng, 62, who has been suspended from the post, was charged with unlawful possession of a vehicle and three counts of possessing a total of RM2.38 million in cash.

The trio were charged under Section 4 of the Anti-Money-Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, which carries a fine of up to RM5 million or up to five years imprisonment or both if convicted for each charge.

Ag Mohd Tahir and Fauziah were represented by Pereira, who was assisted by Hairul Vaiyron Othman, while Baldev, who was assisted by Karpaljit Singh, acted for Lim.

- Bernama