KUALA LUMPUR, May 19 — The decision on the corruption and money laundering case involving the former secretary of the Finance Division, Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS), Otman Arsahd, was postponed again, to July 6.

Sessions Court Judge, Kamarudin Kamsun, said that the court postponed the decision as it needed to look into several more matters.

"The court sets a new date, July 6, for the decision. I apologise,” he said.

Lawyer Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali, who represented Otman, 64, and deputy public prosecutor, Norzilati Izhani Zainal @ Zainol, did not object to the new date.

The proceedings for the decision at the end of the defence case were postponed twice, on March 30 and April 19, following Muhammad Rafique’s announcement that the defence team would file additional submissions, before the court set a new date on May 12.

On May 12 the proceedings were vacated and postponed to today.

The corruption and money laundering case has been going on for seven years, since Otman was first charged on March 31, 2016, and the prosecution has called 70 witnesses to testify.

The defence then closed the case on November 29, 2022, after hearing the testimony of the accused, who was the only defence witness.

On March 31, 2016, Otman was charged with 32 counts of abuse of power and with submitting false claims, involving RM38.4million, at the National Sports Council Office (MSN), Bukit Jalil National Sports Complex, here, between February 28, 2012, and November 18, 2015.

On April 21, 2016, Otman was charged with 64 counts of receiving RM16,623,000 in proceeds from unlawful activities, through cheques which were deposited into his Maybank, RHB and CIMB Berhad accounts, including RHB Bank Presint 8 branch, Putrajaya; Menara Maybank Jalan Tun Perak and Maybank Jalan Raja, between March 7, 2012, and December 11, 2015.

The charges were framed under Section 18 (a) and Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 as well as Section 4(1) (b) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001. — Bernama