KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 19 — The Sessions Court hearing the money laundering and corruption trial involving former Bersatu Information chief Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan, was informed yesterday that a deposit of RM38,160 into the Maybank account of Sinar Karangkraf Sdn Bhd two years ago was legitimate.
Ahmad Arabbi Mustafa, a 36-year-old Maybank officer from the Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI) branch, said that according to Sinar Karangkraf’s bank statement, the money was deposited into the company’s account via an online transaction on November 3, 2022.
“I confirm that the Maybank current account under the name of Sinar Karangkraf Sdn Bhd was opened on January 24, 2007, at the TTDI branch. Based on this account’s signature specimens, there are five authorised signatories,” he said, referring to the account opening form.
The 12th prosecution witness was responding to the examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor (DPP) Mohd Shahrom Idris at the trial of Wan Saiful, who is facing 18 counts of money laundering and two counts of corruption in connection with the Jana Wibawa project.
When questioned by Wan Saiful’s lawyer, Amer Hamzah Arshad, Ahmad Arabbi agreed that the deposit into the Sinar Karangkraf account was a legitimate transaction.
To another question by DPP Dr. Ifa Sirrhu Samsudin on how he knew the transaction was legitimate, Ahmad Arabbi replied, “The system will trigger an alert if there are any suspicious transactions”.
Wan Saiful, 49, faces 18 money laundering charges involving RM5.59 million, by transferring and using the proceeds of unlawful activities, including for the purchase of a Ford Ranger vehicle, payments to the Malaysian National Sports Council, and funds transfers to several company accounts, including that of Sinar Karangkraf Sdn Bhd.
The offences were allegedly committed at the CIMB Bank Berhad Bukit Tunku branch between August 12 and November 13, 2022, and he was charged under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
On the first corruption charge, he is accused of soliciting a bribe from Lian Tan Chuan as an inducement to help Nepturis Sdn Bhd secure the RM232 million Central Spine Road: Sertik to East Coast Highway Interchange project from the Malaysian government on a pre-qualification basis.
The second corruption charge involves allegedly receiving RM6,962,694.54 through the CIMB Bank Berhad account of his company, WSA Advisory Group Sdn Bhd, from Nepturis’s Maybank Islamic Berhad account as a reward for helping it obtain the Letter of Acceptance for the project.
Wan Saiful is accused of committing both offences at the Royal Lake Club, Taman Tasik Perdana in April 2022, and at the CIMB Bank Berhad Bukit Tunku branch between July 8 and September 30, 2022.
The trial before Judge Rosli Ahmad resumes today. — Bernama
