FORMER DATUK BANDAR AMONG FOUR INDIVIDUALS ARRESTED UNDER OP RAGADA:- IGP

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 16 (Bernama) -- A former Datuk Bandar was among four individuals detained yesterday and today under Op Ragada to assist in the investigation of a money laundering case involving a broadcasting company in Kuching, Sarawak.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said the arrests also involved two women, who are the company's managing director and former general manager, respectively, as well as a man, all aged between 53 and 71.

"All arrests were made in Kuching and the police also seized 32 documents at a separate company in Kuching," he said when contacted today.

Razarudin said the company's managing director and one man had been remanded for two days while remand applications against the former mayor and former general manager would be made tomorrow.

Previously, police had arrested five individuals, including the top management officer of the same broadcasting station, aged between 26 and 62, to assist in the investigation.

One of them was released on police bail while the rest, including the officer's wife, children and brother-in-law were remanded for further investigation.

Investigations found that their modus operandi was to carry out criminal activities of money laundering through suspicious financial transactions and criminal breach of trust, tender fraud and awarding tenders to themselves or their family members.

The case is being investigated under Section 4(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (Act 613), Section 409 of the Penal Code, Section 420 of the Penal Code, Section 403 of the Penal Code and Section 23 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission 2009.

--BERNAMA