Azeez’s lawyer denies family funds in TH accounts were forfeited

 Amer Hamzah Arshad says his client Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim is determined to defend himself in court and clear his name and that of his family.

Amer Hamzah Arshad, the lawyer for Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim, urged all parties to report on the case based on the facts and the actual contents of the charge sheet.

PETALING JAYA:

The lawyer for former Tabung Haji chairman Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim has denied allegations circulating on social media that the government had forfeited funds totalling RM18 million in TH accounts belonging to Azeez’s family members.

The lawyer, Amer Hamzah Arshad, said the savings had no connection to the charges faced by Azeez, who has been accused of abusing his position.

“The money in those accounts has no connection to TH funds or money belonging to the pilgrims’ fund. The mere fact that savings are held in TH accounts does not mean that the money originated from TH,” he said.

Azeez has pleaded not guilty to a charge of abusing his position to obtain gratification in the form of a chairmanship and perks at another company, and influencing the TH board of directors to approve an investment of up to RM193.5 million in Putrajaya Perdana, a company in which he allegedly had an interest.

On social media, a screenshot has been circulating, purportedly showing an email by a TH staff member stating that funds totalling over RM18.6 million in TH accounts held by Azeez’s wife and four children had been forfeited.

The purported email showed a sum of RM2 million in the wife’s account and RM4 million each in the children’s accounts, and alleged that none of the children had ever been employed.

“I work at TH and I cannot accept what Azeez Rahim has done at TH. As a Muslim, it is my responsibility to tell the truth to the Malaysian public,” the email read.

Amer said the accounts and the savings had previously been the subject of investigations by the authorities. “However, the savings were never seized by the government, and there has been no finding that the money constituted TH funds misappropriated by my client or proceeds of unlawful activities,” he said.

Amer also denied allegations that Azeez had been charged with misappropriating RM193.5 million of TH funds for his own use or that of his family members.

“We urge all parties to report on this matter based on the facts and the actual contents of the charge sheet. Azeez and his family members reserve all their rights, including the right to take appropriate legal action against any party that publishes or disseminates false, misleading or defamatory statements in relation to this matter,” Amer said. -  FMT