MACC forfeits money, assets from former Johor exco member

JOHOR BARU: Money and assets worth more than RM6mil belonging to former Johor executive council member Datuk Abd Latif Bandi, his son and daughter-in-law and a real estate consultant have been forfeited following an appeal by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) at the High Court here.

The assets were 16 luxury watches, 15 luxury handbags and 15 jewellery items, in addition to the foreign currencies from Singapore, Hong Kong, Kuwait, South Korea and Japan.

Yesterday, High Court judge Justice Abu Bakar Katar allowed the MACC’s appeal and set aside the Sessions Court’s decision on May 27, 2019.

The Sessions judge had rejected the prosecution’s application and ordered all seized property to be returned to the registered owner.

When reading out his judgment, Justice Abu Bakar said the decision was made after the court examined all the records of the appeal and clarified the oral and written submissions of all parties.

“The Sessions Court judge erred in his judgment when he failed to consider the application under Section 41(1) of the MACC Act, focusing on the seized properties and not the need for prosecution against the respondent.

“The court is of the view that the appellant (MACC) has proved that all the property involved was obtained from illegal proceeds, namely bribery. The court is also satisfied that there was no purchase in good faith with valuable consideration related to all the property involved.

“Therefore, the court allows the appellant’s appeal against all the respondents and allows all the appellant’s applications to forfeit the rights of all the property involved,” he said.

The case was prosecuted by deputy public prosecutor Mahadi Abdul Jumaat, while lawyer Abd Rahim Ali represented Abd Latif, his son Ahmad Fauzan Hatim and his daughter-in-law Nur Shaliza Mohamad Salleh as well as real estate consultant Amir Shariffuddin Abd Raub.

Abd Rahim applied for the forfeiture order to be stayed, to enable the defence to file an appeal with the Court of Appeal.

The court then ordered the defence to submit a formal application for a stay of the forfeiture order.