GOLD MINING COMPANY OFFICER CHARGED WITH RECEIVING RM230,000 FROM UNLAWFUL ACTIVITIES

TAWAU, 29 Okt (Bernama) -- A senior officer of a gold mining company here was charged at the Magistrate’s Court today with four counts of receiving RM230,000 in proceeds from unlawful activities between 2021 and 2023.

Brando Pang Tze Chiang, 50, nodded in understanding after the charges were read out before Magistrate Don Stiwin Malanjum. No plea was recorded, as the case will be heard in the Sessions Court.

According to the first and second charges, Brando is accused of receiving RM55,000 in a Public Bank account and RM75,000 in a Hong Leong Bank account from Kedai Emas Sri Hawa, proceeds allegedly obtained from unlawful activities between April 17 and Oct 28, 2021.

For the third and fourth counts, he is charged with receiving RM40,000 in the same Public Bank account and RM60,000 in the same Hong Leong Bank account from Kedai Emas Sri Hawa, both linked to unlawful activities between May 5, 2022, and Feb 2, 2023.

The charges were framed under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (Act 613), punishable under Section 4(1) of the same Act.

The Act provides for a maximum prison term of 15 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount or proceeds of the unlawful activity, or RM5 million, whichever is higher, if convicted.

The court granted the accused bail of RM10,000 for each charge with two local sureties and set tomorrow for the case to be mentioned at the Sessions Court here.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Megat Mahathir Megat Tharih Afendi appeared for the prosecution, while the accused was represented by Vivian Thien.

--BERNAMA