WAN SAIFUL TRIAL PROSECUTION WITNESS CONFIRMS RM46,487.85 TRANSACTION INTO A COMPANY ACCOUNT

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 16 (Bernama) -- During the corruption and money laundering trial of former Bersatu Information chief Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan today, the Sessions Court was informed that RM46,487.85 was transferred into a company's bank account in November 2022.

Ong Jen Ne, 54, Hong Leong Bank Taiping Branch’s customer service and operations manager, confirmed the transaction while referring to Good Square Sdn Bhd’s Hong Leong bank account statement for the period Nov 1 to 30, 2022.

"According to this document, I confirm that there was a money transfer into this account from a different bank on Nov 8, 2022, with the transaction details listed as 'Cr Adv-Interbank (GIRO)' at KLM INV01364000004-BMGS WAN SAIFUL & ASSOCIATES SDN BHD, amounting to RM46,487.85," she said.

The 18th prosecution witness was responding to deputy public prosecutor Nor Diana Nor Azwa during the examination-in-chief at the trial of Wan Saiful, who is facing 18 charges of money laundering and two corruption charges in connection with the Jana Wibawa project.

Ong also confirmed that the bank account was opened at Hong Leong Bank Berhad, Taiping Branch, on May 16, 2014, and that it required only one of two signatories.

In response to a question by Wan Saiful’s lawyer Amer Hamzah Arshad, regarding whether there was an instruction from authorities to freeze the bank account in question, Ong replied, "No".

When questioned by Nor Diana as to why the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officers only referred to the transaction dated Nov 8, 2022, the witness stated, "For investigation purposes".

Earlier, Wan Saiful, 49, was accused of transferring RM46,487.85, allegedly derived from illegal activities, into the Hong Leong Bank account of Good Square Sdn Bhd.

The two corruption charges involve soliciting bribes to assist Nepturis Sdn Bhd secure a road project and obtain the Security, Safety, and Technical (SST) requirements for the same project.

The first corruption charge involves soliciting a bribe from Lian Tan Chuan as an inducement to assist Nepturis Sdn Bhd in securing the Central Spine Road: Sertik to Lebuhraya Pantai Timur project from the Malaysian government, a pre-qualification contract valued at RM232 million.

On the second charge he is accused of receiving RM6,962,694.54 into his company’s WSA Advisory Group Sdn Bhd account at CIMB Bank, from Nepturis Sdn Bhd’s Maybank Islamic account, as payment for helping the company secure the SST for the project.

Both offenses are alleged to have occurred at the Royal Lake Club, Taman Tasik Perdana in April 2022, and at CIMB Bank Berhad Bukit Tunku Branch between July 8 and Sept 30, 2022.

In addition, Wan Saiful faces 18 charges of money laundering involving RM5.59 million, which includes transferring and utilising illegal proceeds, including for the payment of a Ford Ranger vehicle at CIMB Bank Berhad Bukit Tunku Branch, between Aug 12 and Nov 13, 2022.

The trial, before Judge Rosli Ahmad, will resume on Feb 4.

-- BERNAMA