SHAH ALAM: GISB Holdings Sdn Bhd (GISB) chief executive officer Datuk Nasiruddin Mohd Ali and 21 other GISB members pleaded not guilty to a charge of being a part of an organised criminal group at the Shah Alam High Court on Wednesday.
The 13 men and nine women are Nasiruddin, 66; his wife Datin Azura Md Yusof, 58; and the others, Hasnan Abd Hamid, 54; Mohammad Adib At-Tarmimi, 33; Mohd Shukri Mohd Noor, 54; Mokhtar Tajuddin, 61; Shuhaimi Mohamed, 57; Muhammad Afdaluddin Latif, 35; Mohamad Sayuti Omar, 36; Mohd Fazil Md Jasin, 58; Mohd Dhirar Fakhrur Razi, 35; Muhammad Zahid Azhar@Nadzri, 52; Abu Ubaidah Ahnad Shukri, 35; Muhammad Fajrul Islam Khalid, 29; Hamimah Yakub, 73; Asmat@Asmanira Muhammad Ramly, 45; Mahani Kasim, 55; Siti Hajar Ismail, 52; Khalilatul-Zalifah Mohammad Jamil, 28; Nurul Jannah Idris, 29; Nur Jannah Omar, 33; and Siti Salmiah Ismail, 58.
They claimed trial to the charges under Section 130V(1) of the Penal Code, an offence punishable with imprisonment of between five and 20 years upon conviction.
Mohammad Adib is a son of the late Ashaari Muhammad, founder of the Al-Arqam Islamic group.
Except for Hamimah, the others are being held in remand at the Kajang prison.
Hamimah,who was an accountant at GISBH, was given bail on Jan 13 after the High Court took her age and health condition into account as grounds to allow it.
Lawyers of the accused who sought bail for the remaining members were ordered by High Court Judge Latifah Mohd Tahar to submit the application on March 17.
Their lawyers said the bail application of 17 of the accused has been submitted while that of four others will be made this week.
The accused are alleged to have committed the offence at Bandar Country Homes, Rawang between October 2020 and Sept 11 last year.
Earlier, Nasiruddin, who was clad in a blue T-shirt and skullcap, arrived with the others in handcuffs under heavy police escorts at about 9.30am.
About 40 family members and supporters of the accused were present at the courthouse They were seen greeting the accused as they were being led out of the court by police at about 11.30am.