Najib slapped with more money laundering charges (UPDATED)

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has been charged with three counts of money laundering amounting to RM47mil. 

The former prime minister pleaded not guilty after the charges were read out to him before Sessions Court judge Azman Ahmad here on Friday (Feb 8). 

According to the charge sheets, Najib was accused of being involved in money laundering amounting to a sum of RM47mil, which was a result of illegal activities, in his three AmPrivate Banking accounts. 

All the offences were allegedly committed at AmIslamic Bank Berhad, Ambank Group Building, No 55, Jalan Raja Chulan on July 8, 2014. 

The charges were framed under Section 4 (1) (a) of the 2001 Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act which provides for a maximum fine of RM5mil or imprisonment not exceeding five years or both, upon conviction.

The court allowed a personal bond for Najib on all the three charges.

DPP Manoj Kurup appeared for the prosecution while Najib was represented by lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah. 

Najib was first slapped with the same charges at the High Court on Jan 28. 

However, High Court judge Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali gave him a discharge not amounting to an acquittal on the three charges after allowing an application by the prosecution, which was led by Attorney General Tommy Thomas, during the proceeding on Thursday (Feb 7). 

Thomas made the application for the discharge on grounds that the prosecution did not wish to proceed on the three charges against Najib before the High Court and would seek to charge him again before the Sessions Court.