Five claim trial to money laundering charges

Ahmad Shazni Mat Hassan, 34, Shafii Ismail, 44, Nasarudin Ali, 62, Ahmad Suffian Abu Bakar, 31, and Salisa Essoh, 38, pleaded not guilty when the charge was read out to them individually before Judge Zamri Bakar.

Ahmad Shazni was charged with receiving RM334,536, Shafii (RM448,564.05), Nasarudin (RM17,753.44), Ahmad Suffian (RM21,327.70) and Salisa (RM31,894.54) as a result of money laundering.

They allegedly committed the offences at several Maybank branches including in Section 20 here and Kuala Selangor, between Dec 3, 2014 and Jan 29, 2015.

Zamri allowed all the accused bail of RM5,000 each in one surety.

He also ordered their cases be transferred to the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court to be tried together with the other cases faced by Ahmad Shazni, Shafii, Nasarudin and Salisa, following an application by deputy public prosecutor Atiqah Liyana Shahrir.

Ahmad Shazni was represented by lawyer Mohd Faizi Che Abu and Shafii by lawyer Ling Yee Siew while Nasarudin, Ahmad Suffian and Salisa were represented by counsel Syed Muhammad Adeeb Barakbah.

On Feb 8, Ahmad Shazni, Shafii, Nasarudin and Salisa were among 24 individuals charged in the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court with money laundering and misappropriation of money belonging to Maybank Islamic Bhd.

The court allowed the four bail of RM8,000 each and fixed May 3 for re-mention.