KOTA KINABALU: The manager of a gold mining company at Bukit Mantri, Tawau, has been charged with four counts of money laundering amounting to RM230,000 linked to illegal activities between 2021 and 2023.
Brando Pang Tze Chiang, 50, nodded in acknowledgment when the charges were read before Magistrate Don Stiwin Malanjum at the Tawau magistrates’ court on Wednesday (Oct 29).
No plea was recorded from Pang.
For the first charge, he is accused of receiving RM75,000 from Kedai Emas Sri Hawa into his bank account between April 17 and Oct 28, 2021, in Tawau.
The second charge alleges he received RM55,000 from the same account to another of his bank accounts between the same dates at Damansara Utama, Selangor.
For the third charge, Pang is accused of receiving RM60,000 from the same shop into his bank account between May 6, 2022, and Feb 2, 2023, in Tawau.
The fourth charge states he received RM40,000 from the same account to another of his bank accounts between May 5, 2022, and Feb 2, 2023, at Damansara Utama.
All transactions are believed to involve money laundering activities without the knowledge of the mining company where he worked.
The charges were made under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (Act 613).
The Act provides for a jail sentence of up to 15 years and a fine of at least five times the illegal amount or RM5mil, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
The court allowed RM10,000 bail for each charge, with two sureties, and set the case for mention on Oct 30 before the Tawau Sessions Court.
Earlier, it was reported that the company suffered RM20mil in losses due to illegal gold sales at the mining site between 2020 and 2022.
