Azeez slapped with 12 graft charges totalling RM144m

Former Tabung Haji chairperson Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim claimed trial to 12 counts of gratification and money laundering amounting to RM144.6 million at the Sessions Court in Kuala Lumpur today.

Azeez, who is Baling MP, was charged with three counts of gratification under Section 16(a)(A) of the MACC Act 2009.

He was also charged with nine counts of money laundering under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (Amla).

With regard to the gratification charges, Azeez is accused of receiving RM5.2 million from Mohammad Redzuan Mohanan Abdullah, a director of Menuju Asas Sdn Bhd.

The money was an alleged reward for assisting the company in securing projects for highway construction and road upgrades in Perak and Kedah.

The projects were said to be worth between RM197.8 million and RM664.48 million and the transactions were said to have taken place between December 2010 and April 2018.

For each charge, if Azeez is found guilty, he will face a maximum sentence of 20 years' imprisonment and a fine of not less than five times the sum or value of the gratification.

With regard to the money laundering charges, Azeez is accused of receiving illegal funds amounting to RM139.41 million from four companies, namely Menuju Asas Sdn Bhd, Mangkubumi Sdn Bhd, Pintas Utama Sdn Bhd, and AVP Engineering (M) Sdn Bhd. 

The transactions were said to have taken place in Klang Valley between March 10, 2010, and Aug 30, 2018.

Earlier, the money laundering charges were read before Judge Rozina Ayub. 

Azeez was then transferred to another court for the rest of the charges to be read before Judge Azura Alwi.

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KiniGuide: Azeez's RM144m corruption, money laundering charges

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Meanwhile, Azeez’s elder brother Abdul Latif Abdul Rahim claimed trial to two charges of abetting the securing of kickbacks amounting to RM4 million in relation to highway projects worth RM644.48 million.

The charges against Latif were read before Justice Azura.

Justice Azura set bail for RM800,000 for Abdul Azeez with one surety, and RM500,000 for his brother also with one surety.

The brothers were also required to surrender their passports.

The prosecution team was led by Gopal Sri Ram (photo), while Azeez and his brother were represented by Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, Jahaberdeen Mohamed Yunoos, and M Athimulan.

The court fixed March 27 for the case mention.

Azeez and Latif were arrested at 4.30pm yesterday after they presented themselves at the commission's headquarters in Putrajaya for questioning.

Previously, they were detained by the MACC in September and remanded for ten days.

Azeez's son was also arrested for a day in October.

On May 23, MACC had raided and seized RM500,000 in cash and RM1.2 million in various currencies from Azeez's residences.

Bernama later reported that the raids were to facilitate investigations into the appointment of contractors involving Tabung Haji projects.

The case was investigated under Section 16 of the MACC Act 2009 pertaining to soliciting or receiving gratification.

The 12 charges against Azeez today are as follows:

Corruption charges: 
1. Received RM1.2 million in graft from Redzuan for four government projects in Perak and Kedah worth RM197.8 million on Dec 8, 2010.  

2. Received RM2 million in graft from Redzuan for a road project in Perak worth RM664.48 million on June 13, 2017. 

3. Received RM2 million in graft from Redzuan for a road project in Perak worth RM644.48 milllion on April 10, 2018.

Money laundering charges: 
1. Received illegal money worth RM1.9 million from Syarikat Menuju Asas Sdn Bhd between Mac 8, 2010 and Dec 31, 2010. 

2. Received illegal money worth RM670,000 from Syarikat Menuju Asas Sdn Bhd between Feb 1, 2011 and Dec 29, 2011.  illegal money worth RM670,000 from Syarikat Menuju Asas Sdn Bhd between Feb 1, 2011 and Dec 29, 2011. 

3. Received illegal money worth RM4.13 million from Syarikat Menuju Asas Sdn Bhd between Jan 6, 2012 and Dec 26, 2012.  

4. Received illegal money worth RM783,900 from Syarikat Menuju Asas Sdn Bhd between Jan 5, 2013 and Dec 25, 2013.  

5. Received illegal money worth RM1.48 million from Syarikat Menuju Asas Sdn Bhd between Jan 3, 2014 and Dec 31, 2014.  

6. Received illegal money worth RM8.18 million from Syarikat Menuju Asas Sdn Bhd, Mangkubumi Sdn Bhd and Pintas Utama Sdn Bhd between Jan 8, 2015 and Dec 31, 2015.

7. Received illegal money worth RM33.36 million from Syarikat Menuju Asas Sdn Bhd, Mangkubumi Sdn Bhd and Pintas Utama Sdn Bhd between Jan 4, 2016 and Dec 30, 2016.

8. Received illegal money worth RM63.64 million from Syarikat Menuju Asas Sdn Bhd, Pintas Utama Sdn Bhd and AVP Engineering (M) Sdn Bhd between Jan 3, 2017 and Dec 27, 2017. 

9. Received illegal money worth RM25.25 million from Syarikat Menuju Asas Sdn Bhd, Pintas Utama Sdn Bhd, Mangkubumi Sdn Bhd and AVP Engineering (M) Sdn Bhd between Jan 9, 2018 and Aug 30, 2018. -Mkini