Shafee’s cases to be heard in High Court

Ongoing case: Muhammad Shafee arriving at the Kuala Lumpur High Court.

KUALA LUMPUR: The money laundering cases over the RM9.5mil received by prominent lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah from Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has been moved to the High Court.

High Court judge Justice Azman Abdullah made the order yesterday after being informed that there was a mutual understanding between both parties for the transfer.

Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Afzainizam Abdul Aziz told the court that the prosecution did not object to the transfer.

Also present during the proceeding was Muhammad Shafee, who was represented by lawyer Harvinderjit Singh.

The case will be mentioned at the Sessions Court on Oct 8 to inform the lower court of the outcome of the transfer application.

On Sept 13, Muhammad Shafee was slapped with four charges of money laundering involving the RM9.5mil.

The 66-year-old is accused of receiving proceeds of unlawful activity totalling RM4.3mil on Sept 13, 2013, and RM5.2mil on Feb 17, 2014, through two AmIslamic Bank Bhd cheques issued by then prime minister Najib.

The cheques were remitted into Muham­mad Shafee’s CIMB Bank account.

He allegedly committed the two offences at CIMB Bank Bhd, J2 & K1, Taman Tunku, Bukit Tunku here.

The charges under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001 carry a fine not exceeding RM5mil or up to five years in jail, or both upon conviction.

The third and fourth charges come under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activity Act 2001.

(The Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001 were amended in 2014. The changes included it being renamed as the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activity Act.)

The fourth charge relates to the same offence involving the RM5.2mil received from Najib.

Both offences were allegedly committed at the Inland Revenue Board at Kompleks Pejabat Kerajaan, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim here on March 3, 2015, and June 29, 2015.

If convicted, Muhammad Shafee faces imprisonment of up to 15 years and a fine of not less than five times the sum or value of the proceeds of the unlawful activity or RM5mil, whichever is higher.