Melaka PWD director faces two more money laundering charges, involving RM4.1m

Melaka Public Works director Datuk Khalid Omar was brought to the Sessions Court here again today and charged with two counts of money laundering, involving more than RM1.4 million.

He also pleaded not guilty to both charges after they were read out to him before judge Azura Alwi.

Khalid was charged on both counts with possession of proceeds from unlawful activities, involving RM1,984,798.08 in an Amanah Saham Wawasan 2020 account and another RM2,135,634.13 in an Amanah Saham Didik account.

The offence was allegedly committed at Amanah Saham Nasional Berhad, Menara Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB), 201-A, Jalan Tun Razak here between September 2015 and July this year.

The charges were made under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, whereby Khalid faced an imprisonment for up to 15 years and shall also be liable to a fine of not less than five times the sum or value of the proceeds from unlawful activity, or RM5 million, whichever is higher, if found guilty.

Last Sept 29, Khalid, 56, was charged in the Melaka Sessions Court with 16 counts of corruption and money laundering, involving more than RM1.28 million.

He pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Earlier, the prosecution, conducted by deputy public prosecutor from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Ahmad Akram Gharib requested the court to use the same bail, of RM250,000 in one surety, as well as other additional conditions set by the Melaka Sessions Court.

Khalid had posted bail of RM250,000 in one surety.

He was also ordered to surrender his passport to the court and to report himself at the Melaka MACC office every month.

Ahmad Akram also suggested that today's case be transferred to the Melaka Sessions Court to be heard together with the 16 charges.

Lawyer Azrul Zulkifli Stork, representing Khalid, did not object to it. The court then set Nov 4 for mention of the case at the Melaka Sessions Court. -- BERNAMA