The prosecution has applied to transfer the case of the RM144.6 million graft trial involving former Tabung Haji chairperson Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim to High Court.
The trial which was supposed to commence today at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court has been postponed.
Deputy public prosecutor Nik Haslinie Hashim told the presiding judge Azura Alwi that the prosecution filed an application for the trial of Azeez and his elder brother Abdul Latif to be transferred to High Court last Thursday.
The court has fixed Oct 2 for case management before the deputy registrar on the application to transfer the case.
Lawyer Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, who acted for Azeez and his brother, later told the media that the accused did not object to the application to transfer the trial.
"We are not objecting (their application).
"Before the trial, the deputy public prosecutor had written a letter to the court to convert the trial today to mention on the ground that they have filed an application to the High Court," Hisyam said.
He added that the hearing date for the application has yet to be fixed.
Azeez, who is Baling MP, was charged at the Sessions Court in January with 12 counts of gratification and money laundering amounting to RM144.6 million.
The charges include three counts of gratification under Section 16(a)(A) of the MACC Act 2009, and 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.
On 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.
Meanwhile, Latif was charged with abetting the securing of kickbacks amounting to RM4 million in relation to highway projects worth RM644.48 million.
Both of them claimed trial for all of the charges. - Mkini
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