SHAH ALAM: A director of a construction company for the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line project has pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here on Wednesday (March 29) to two charges of giving bribes amounting to more than SGD650,000 (RM2.158mil) and one charge of money laundering amounting to RM4.13mil.
G. Paismanathan is accused of giving bribes amounting to S$655,766 to MRT Corporation Sdn Bhd chief executive officer through an individual as a reward to ensure that Colas Rail System Engineering Sdn Bhd, which was taken over by Pestech Technology Sdn Bhd, continues the MRT Line Two project: Sungai Buloh-Serdang-Putrajaya worth more than RM693mil.
He was charged with committing the offence on Dec 28, 2017 and Jan 9, 2018 at Amber Hill, Taman Melawati, Gombak under Section 16(b)(B) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, which is punishable under Section 24(1) of the same act.
If convicted, the accused can be imprisoned for a maximum of 20 years and fined not less than five times the value of the bribes or RM10,000 whichever is higher.
For another charge, the 53-year-old man was charged with transferring proceeds from illegal activities, namely money amounting to RM4.13 million from an account belonging to Colas Rail System Engineering Sdn Bhd to an account belonging to Siaz Holding Bhd.
He was charged with committing the offence between Nov 16 and Dec 27, 2017 at the Maybank branch in Taman Subang Perdana, Petaling under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorist Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 which can be punished under Section 4(1) of the same act.
If convicted, the accused can be imprisoned for a maximum of 15 years and can also be fined not less than five times the value of the proceeds of the illegal activity or RM5mil, whichever is higher.
The prosecution was handled by deputy public prosecutor Muaz Ahmad Khairuddin and Irna Julieza Maaras, while the accused was represented by counsel Ragunath Kesavan.
Judge Awang Kerisnada Awang Mahmud allowed bail for the accused at RM500,000 in one surety and the case remention is on April 19. – Bernama
