PROSECUTION OBJECTS TO ABU SAHID'S BID FOR TEMPORARY RELEASE OF PASSPORT

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 11 (Bernama) -- The prosecution will file an objection to the application by Maju Holdings Sdn Bhd director Tan Sri Abu Sahid Mohamed for the temporary release of his passport to travel to the United Kingdom to send his daughter to a university in London next month.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Aznika Mohd Anas told the court that the prosecution had received notice of Abu Sahid's application yesterday and would file an affidavit in reply to the application tomorrow.

"We object to the application. Therefore, we request that a hearing date be set," she said during the mention of the case before Sessions Court Judge Suzana Hussin today.

Lawyer Datuk Jasbeer Singh, representing Abu Sahid, said the defence would file a reply next Monday and request that a hearing date be set for Dec 17.

"We also request that Tan Sri Abu Sahid's presence be exempted by the court on the hearing date," he said.

Suzana then set Dec 17 to hear the application.

Abu Sahid was charged with five counts of criminal breach of trust, whereby, as a director of Maju Holdings Sdn Bhd and entrusted with the control of the company’s funds, he is alleged to have dishonestly misused over RM458.5 million held in bank accounts in Taman Tunku and Taman Serdang Perdana, near here, between May 3, 2016 and Oct 21, 2019.

The charges are framed under Section 409 of the Penal Code, which provides a maximum prison sentence of 20 years, whipping and a fine, if convicted.

Abu Sahid is also charged with 10 counts of transferring proceeds from unlawful activities amounting to RM116,449,536.12 from his bank account to five individuals and four construction companies.

For another three money laundering charges, he is accused of disposing of RM22,802,612.86 in proceeds from unlawful activities withdrawn via 15 cheques from the same bank account between May 4, 2016, and Sept 19, 2018.

The offences fall under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (Act 613), which provides for a maximum jail term of 15 years and a fine of up to five times the amount involved, upon conviction.

-- BERNAMA