Azeez's trial on nine charges to proceed at Sessions Court

PUTRAJAYA - The trial of former Tabung Haji chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim on nine corruption and money laundering charges linked to road projects in Perak and Kedah will proceed at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court.

This follows the Court of Appeal’s unanimous decision today which partially allowed his appeal to strike out all of the 13 charges he was currently facing.

However, the three-man bench led by judge Datuk Seri Kamaludin Md Said acquitted him of four out of 10 money laundering charges after allowing the appellant’s appeal for the charges to be struck out.

Also presiding were judges Datuk Abu Bakar Jais and Datuk Che Mohd Ruzima Ghazali.

Abu Bakar who read out the decision said the panel disagreed with the appellant who sought to strike out his 13 charges, except for the third, seventh, eighth and ninth charges under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.

The four charges under the act against the Baling MP were dropped due to ambiguity as it did not state the exact location where the alleged offences were committed.

However, Azeez must stand trial on all three corruption charges and the other six money laundering charges.

"We find that it is not true at all of the charges are defective. It is untrue to say (all) the charges against the appellant are baseless and invalid.

"We also find that the appellant's argument that the charges against him are mala fide (in bad faith) is baseless," Abu Bakar said.

Azeez was appealing against the High Court’s decision on March 12, last year, rejecting his application to have his entire case struck out.

He filed the application on Dec 11, 2020, on grounds that the charges were defective, groundless and the prosecution against him was made in bad faith.

On Jan 16, 2019, Azeez, 55, was charged with three counts of accepting bribes totalling RM5.2 million in connection with road projects in Perak and Kedah as well as 10 counts of money laundering.

He was accused of committing the bribery offences at CIMB Bank, Jalan Tun Perak in Kuala Lumpur on Dec 8, 2010, and at Affin Bank, Pusat Bandar Puchong in Selangor on June 13, 2017, and April 10, 2018.

Meanwhile, the money laundering offences were allegedly committed in the Klang Valley area between March 8, 2010, and Aug 30, 2018.

He was initially charged together with his brother, Abdul Latif, 63, who was accused of abetting him (Azeez) in obtaining a RM4 million bribe from one Mohammad Redzuan Mohanan Abdullah as gratification to help Syarikat Menuju Asas Sdn Bhd secure road projects through limited tender from the Works Ministry.

The project involved the Pantai Baru Coastal Expressway Project, upgrading works of Federal Road FT005 ( Teluk Intan to Kampung Lekir, Perak) valued at RM644,480,000.

However, on Feb 8, last year, Abdul Latif was given a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) of the abetment charges to become a witness against his brother.

So far, seven prosecution witnesses have testified in the trial at the Sessions Court which began on Aug 19, 2020.

The trial was adjourned pending the outcome of the appeal.