How MACC man spent RM2.7 million of stolen cash to purchase cars, house, luxury items
SHAH ALAM - Shocking and surprising. Those two words are very fitting to describe the confession made by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) senior enforcer at the Session Court last Friday.
The accused, Shahrum Nizam Baharuddin, 41 who has been serving the agency for 17 years, pleaded guilty to spending part of the confiscated money worth US$6.94 million (RM29 million).
The Sessions Court then sentence him to three years imprisonment effective from the date of arrest on Sept 13, 2021, and to be caned twice.
However, the dishonest action of Shahrum Nizam has tarnished his own name and the integrity of MACC as hew previously awarded as a modelled employee.
In fact, many are now questioning the security protocol for confiscated assets under MACC's custody.
Listed below are the assets that Shahrum Nizam had purchased with the money he stole.
HASANAH’S ASSETS WERE SEIZED
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On Aug 28, 2018, the accused was appointed as Operation Chief in Ops Dinar 2 regarding the investigation on former Prime Minister's Department (JPM) Research Division (RD) director-general Datuk Hasanah Abdul Hamid who was suspected to commit a breach of trust of monies that belonged to the Malaysian Government.
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The former Malaysian External Intelligence Organization director-general was previously charged with breach of trust of US$12.1 million (RM50.4 million) belonging to the government.
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The confiscated money was then handed by the investigating to MACC's Special Action Unit chief (KC CTK) to be kept in a safe.
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On Dec 17, 2018, Shahrum Nizam had asked KC CTK to hand over some of the confiscated money for the purpose of recounting and to verify its authenticity.
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A total of US$1.9 million (RM7.9 million) out of the confiscated money was handed to him but Shahrum Nizam only took US$800,000 (RM3.3 million) while the rest was handed back to KC CTK.
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Soon after he took the money, he converted it into the local currency with the help of an individual in Kota Damansara. The exchange rate at that time was RM1.6 million.
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On April 9, 2019, the accused once again asked for the confiscated money which was in the custody of KC CTK for a recalculation process and security check. After being handed over, Shahrum Nizam took out the money to be converted into the local currency.
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The second conversion involved over US$2.47 million of which the exchange rate was RM9.8 million. The accused also handed over a purple bag containing US$4.07 million to be kept by his acquaintances to be used as business capital.
SHAHRUM'S ACTION BEGAN TO BE EXPOSED
- On April 12, 2021, the High Court acquitted Hasanah of her breach of trust charge of US$12.1 million (RM50.4 million) against the Malaysian government.
- Hasanah's release has caused Shahrum Nizam's actions to be exposed because on Aug 12, 2021, the Kuala Lumpur Magistrate Court had ordered the exhibit money seized in the case against Hasanah involving US$6.94 million (RM29 million) to be returned to the research division (RD) under the prime minister's department
- After being handed over, investigations done by RD's deputy director-general (operation), Mohd Yani Daud, he had doubted its authenticity after noticing that some of the money notes were only printed on one side with the same serial number with different colours and of low quality.
-On Sept 2021, the MACC confirmed the detention of three of its officers to assist in the investigation of abuse of power and corruption in matters related to the misappropriation of Hasanah's supposed assets.
- On Jan 2022. Shahrum Nizam in was charged in Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court for breach of trust over US$6.94 million RM29 million).
LUXURIOUS SPENDINGS
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The results of the investigation found that the accused had spent RM2,713,730 to buy personal assets from 17 Dec 2018 until now.
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As a result of the exchange of money, the accused used the exhibit money for his personal gains by buying luxury assets by making 13 cash payment transactions to buy a two and a half storey house in Kota Warisan, Sepang.
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The accused had bought branded watches, namely four units of Hublot Big Bang watches, two units of Tag Heuer watches and two units of Rolex watches by cash at a watch shop in Mid Valley City with a total purchase of RM397,580.
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The accused also bought a Ford Raptor 2.0 4x4 vehicle by cash of RM219,000, bought two plots of land of 2.9967 hectares each worth RM333,220 of his own name and 1,244 hectares worth RM150,000 of his wife’s name in Jerantut, Pahang.
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He also bought a Honda Civic Type R 2.4L Turbo car for RM290,030 which was paid in cash for RM265,930.
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The accused also bought a Ducati 1299 Panigale R Final Edition motorcycle for RM278,000 and another Ducati 1199 Superleggera motorcycle for RM300,000 of which the purchase of the latter motorcycle was made by trading in the Panigale 1199R motorcycle for RM110,000 while the remaining RM190,000 was paid in five instalments to the motorcycle shop.
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He had also bought a Mercedes Benz A250 Sport car in cash for RM130,000
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He also asked an individual to keep cash of RM1.4 million as capital to enter into the timber business.
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On 24 Sept 2021, the MACC seized a luggage bag containing US$4.07 million (RM17 million) in cash at Wisma D.H.R, Kampung Tanjung Mas, Kota Bharu, Kelantan, from the same person who Shahrum Nizam asked to keep the cash capital to enter into the timber business.
Shahrum Nizam who was represented by lawyer Ahmad Hafiz A Bakar had requested for a lighter sentence for his client on the ground that Shahrum was pleaded guilty to the charges.
Ahmad Hafiz said the accused had served with the MACC since Nov 14, 2005, and had received an excellent service award, four times.
Apart from that, he said his client was suffering from nasal cancer and a medical report from a private hospital was also submitted to the court.
