Nicky Liow pleads not guilty to 26 money-laundering charges

SHAH ALAM: Businessman Nicky Liow has claimed trial to 25 charges amounting to over RM36mil under Section 4(1)(a) and one charge under section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act.

Liow - who had been on the run from the police for more than a year - pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him in Mandarin before Sessions Court Judge Helina Sulaiman

The 34-year-old founder of the Winner Dynasty Group nodded his head and said "I understand" in Mandarin when asked if he understood what was read to him before claiming trial to all 26 charges.

In submissions for bail, DPP Rozaliana Zakaria asked the court to not allow bail saying that Liow is accused of committing unbailable offenses and added that there is a risk that he may abscond.

“Various efforts have been made to track down the accused through through media releases, Interpol Red Alert notices and arrest warrants to get the accused to appear in court," said Rozaliana.

In response, defence counsel Datuk Rajpal Singh said that Liow should be given bail of RM500,000 or a sum less than RM1mil with two sureties as his client voluntarily surrendered himself to the police on Monday (April 11).

Rajpal said that in the cases of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Umno president Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi, both individuals were given bail that amounted to around 1% of the amount involved in the alleged crimes

Rajpal is acting for Liow along with Jay Moy Wei Jiun and Mardhiyah Siraj while Rozaliana is prosecuting along with DPPs Noor Zalizan Lazarous and Syafinas Shabudin.

Following submissions, Helina set bail at RM1 million and ordered Liow to surrender his passport to the court as well as report himself to the Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) once every two weeks.

She also fixed May 26 for case management.

Earlier, Liow was brought in to court in handcuffs wearing black pants and a black shirt.

This comes after the former Datuk Seri surrendered himself at Bukit Aman on Monday (April 11).

Liow - who is allegedly a Macau scam ringleader - had his Datuk Seri title revoked by the Pahang palace in April last year.