Travel agency owner claims trial to money laundering involving RM1.5 million

KUALA LUMPUR - An owner of a travel agency today pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court to five charges of engaging in money laundering involving RM1.15 million.

Norani Ismail, 66, was charged with transferring RM1.15 million, believed to be proceeds of unlawful activities, from the current account of Malayan Banking belonging to her company into a Maybank Berhad current account and a Malayan Banking Islamic Berhad savings account belonging to one of her children, her Malayan Banking Berhad and CIMB Bank Berhad current accounts as well as a Hong Leong Bank current account belonging to her company.

She is alleged to have committed the offences at Bukit Bintang branch of Malayan Banking here between Jan 25 and Oct 3, 2019.

The charges were framed under Section 4 (1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, which provides an imprisonment for up to 15 years and fine of not less than five times of the amount obtained from unlawful activities, or RM5 million, whichever is higher upon conviction.

Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Norazihah Asmuni applied for the money laundering case to be jointly heard with another case facing the woman at the Shah Alam Sessions Court because it involved the same transaction.

Judge Ahmad Kamar Jamaludin allowed the case to be transferred to the Shah Alam Sessions Court and allowed the bail of RM15,000 set by the court to be applied.

The court also set March 8 for mention of the case. - BERNAMA