KUALA LUMPUR – Former prime minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin will have to wait a little longer for the Kuala Lumpur sessions court to hear his bid to dispose of the three remaining money laundering charges.
This comes after the court allowed the prosecution’s application to temporarily stay the proceedings.
Judge Azura Alwi ruled that the stay is in place pending the appellate court’s decision on the prosecution’s appeal against Muhyiddin’s acquittal of four abuse of power charges, reported Malay Mail Online.
Deputy public prosecutor Zander Lim Wai Keong, this morning, argued that justice and fairness will be served if the sessions court “maintains status quo” until the Court of Appeal hears the prosecution’s appeal against Muhyiddin’s acquittal.
Meanwhile, Muhyiddin’s lawyer Chetan Jethwani said the defence is seeking for a discharge not amounting to acquittal (DNAA) since the four abuse of power charges were dismissed.
The lawyer added that by granting a DNAA, the prosecution can still bring the same charges against Muhyiddin if the Court of Appeal throws out the acquittal.
Muhyiddin has been seeking a DNAA on his remaining money laundering charges, where he was charged on March 10 at the sessions court here with two counts of receiving RM195 million in funds that are proceeds from unlawful activities, and on March 13 at the Shah Alam sessions court with one count of money laundering amounting to RM5 million.
He backs his application, stating that the offences, which were framed under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, are baseless as his predicate offence involving power abuse charges was quashed by the high court on August 15 last year
On August 15, the Kuala Lumpur High Court acquitted Muhyiddin of four charges related to abuse of power, involving the receipt of gratification worth RM 232.5 million for Bersatu through the Jana Wibawa Project.
On the same day, the prosecution lodged an appeal with the Court of Appeal against the acquittal.
Muhyiddin still faces three charges related to money laundering, amounting to RM200 million, also connected to the Jana Wibawa project. – February 15, 2024