Hearing over transfer of Musa's case to High Court on May 6

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): The High Court here set May 6 to hear the prosecution's application to transfer all cases of former Sabah chief minister Tan Sri Musa Aman (pic) who is facing 16 charges of money laundering and 35 corruption charges on timber concessions in the state.

Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan set the date during re-mention of the case on Monday (April 22).

Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Datuk Raja Rozela Raja Toran announced the application was made given it is a high-profile case.

"The prosecution made the application to transfer the case from the Sessions Court to the High Court as the amount of money or funds involved in both cases was high and was more appropriate to be heard at the High Court,” she said.

Counsel Ng Aik Guan, who is representing Musa, 68, said the defence would need time to file an affidavit on the application.

“If allowed, we are applying for 14 days to file the affidavit,” he said, and the court set April 29 for the defence to file its affidavit.

Musa is accused of being involved in money laundering transactions by ordering his proxy Richard Christopher Barnes, 67, to open an account at UBS AG Bank in Singapore in Barnes' name to hide the former chief minister's proceeds from illegal activities at the same place and time at the bank on June 21, 2006.

For the second and third charges, Musa was accused of being involved indirectly in money laundering by receiving US$16,148,547 and US$1,047,153 from Chia Tien Foh, via the account in Barnes' name in which the money was proceeds from illegal activities.

For the fourth and fifth charges, Musa is accused of receiving US$2,702,702 and US$2,180,673 from Young Generation Corp via the account in Barnes's name being proceeds from illegal activities.

For the sixth charge, Musa is accused of receiving US$4,044,956.82 from Lo Man Heng via the account in Barnes' name in which the money was from illegal activities. For the seventh and eighth charges, he is accused of the same charge of receiving US$518,681.74 and US$895,000 from Mazlan Zakaria through the account in Barnes' name and the proceeds were from illegal activities.

For the ninth and 10th charges, Musa is accused of the same charges of receiving US$7,300,000 and SGD2,500,000 from Axon Group Ltd through the account in Barnes' in which the money were proceeds from illegal activities.

For the 11th and 12th charges, Musa is facing the same charges of receiving US$862,000 and US$778,443 from Well Capital Finance Limited through the account in Barnes' name which were proceeds from illegal activities.

For the 13th charge, Musa is accused of receiving US$650,000 from Innovative Information Ltd through the account under Barnes' name in which the money were proceeds from illegal activities.

For the 14th charge, Musa is accused of the same charges of receiving US$406,003.29 from Portland Trading Pte Ltd and for the 15th charge, on receiving US$311,332.50 from Well Capital Finance Limited through the account in the name of Barnes'i n which the money were proceeds from illegal activities.

For the last and 16th charge, Musa is accused of being involved directly in money laundering by ordering Barnes to transfer all assets and depositing the money from the account in Barnes' name to his own account at UBS AG Zurich in which all the assets and money deposited were from proceeds from illegal activities.

According to the second to 16th charges, Musa was accused of the acts at UBS AG Bank at Central Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the Republic of China between June 21 2006 and May 14 2008.

All the charges were made under Section 4(1) (a) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 which provides for a maximum jail term of 15 years and a fine five times the value of illegal activities or RM5mil which ever higher upon conviction.

Musa is also facing 35 charges of corruption relating to timber concessions in Sabah amounting to US$63,293,924 (RM263,460,962.313) from eight timber concession company owners.

He is accused of all offences at eight financial institutions in Hong Kong and Singapore between Dec 20, 2004 and Nov 6, 2008.

The charges were made under Section 11(a) of the Anti-Corruption Act 1997 and can be punished under Section 16 of the same Act which provides for a maximum jail term of 20 years and fine not less than five times of the bribe or RM10,000, which ever is higher if found guilty. -Bernama