Melaka mayor’s ex-aide pleads not guilty

MELAKA: A former high-ranking Melaka government official was charged at the Sessions Court here with 15 counts of money-laundering and criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving nearly RM20mil.

Datuk Mohd Yusof Abu Hassan, 56, a former special officer to the Melaka Historical City Council’s mayor, was charged with 11 counts of money-laundering and four counts of CBT involving RM19.3mil last year.

Mohd Yusof is alleged to have committed six money-laundering offences involving RM7,738,074.87 at the Melaka Raya branch of RHB Bank between May 3 and Sept 2, 2016.

He was also charged with committing three money-laundering offences involving RM300,000 at the Malim branch of UOB Bank at No. 1, Jalan PPM 8, Plaza Malim Business Park, Jalan Balai Panjang here between March 3 and June 20 last year, and two other offences involving RM150,000 at the Melaka Raya branch of Al Rajhi Bank between March 1 and June 13, 2016.

Mohd Yusof was alleged to have committed three of the CBT offences involving RM10.2mil at the Melaka Raya branch of RHB Bank at No. 19, 21 and 23, Jalan Merdeka, Taman Melaka Raya here between Feb 23 and Aug 10 last year.

He is also alleged to have committed another CBT offence involving RM1mil at the Melaka Raya branch of Al-Rajhi Bank at No. 336, Jalan Melaka Raya 1, Taman Melaka Raya here on June 17, 2016.

Each charge under Section 409 of the Penal Code carries a maximum jail term of 20 years and with whipping or a fine, if convicted.

For all the offences, he was charged under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money-Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, which carries a maximum jail term of 15 years and fine of RM5mil or five times the value of the transaction at the time, whichever is higher, if convicted.

Mohd Yusof pleaded not guilty to all charges.

His charges were read before Judge Norma Ismail, who set bail at RM1.6mil with one surety and ordered Mohd Yusof to surrender his passport to the court. He is also to report to the Melaka MACC office every month.

The court fixed June 22 for re-mention and submission of documents.

Earlier, Mohd Yusof was spotted smiling at reporters as he walked into court with his counsel Azrul Zulkifli Stork.

The accused was detained at 7.30pm on Monday at the MACC office here, where he was summoned to give a statement.

He was arrested twice, on Nov 28 and Dec 2 last year, to assist in investigations into illegal money-laundering activities.