PETALING JAYA: An application to appeal the sentence imposed on former Sabah Water Department Director Ag Mohd Tahir Mohd Talib has been filed, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) says.
In a statement today, the MACC's Strategic Communications division confirmed the prosecution filed the appeal on May 25. Appeals were also lodged against the discharge and acquittal orders of Ag Mohd Tahir’s wife, Fauziah Piut, and former deputy director Lim Lam Beng.
Previously, the Kota Kinabalu Special Corruption Sessions Court convicted Ag Mohd Tahir on 12 money laundering charges under Section 4(1)(a) and 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLATFPUAA 2001) involving RM49.7 million.
He was sentenced to concurrent eight-year prison terms for each charge and hit with a RM284.3mil fine, with an additional 78 months of jail time if unpaid. A stay of execution was granted pending the appeal.
In the same proceedings, Fauziah was acquitted of 19 money laundering charges involving RM2.2mil, while Lim was cleared of four charges involving RM2.3mil.
The court also found Ag Mohd Tahir and Fauziah not guilty of two joint charges involving RM6.5 million in assets.
The landmark case, stemming from the MACC's "Ops Water" sting, saw the trio initially charged on Dec 29, 2016, before the verdict was delivered on May 19 this year.
"The status quo of all seized items will remain in place, and any return of assets may only occur after the final disposal of all appeals in higher courts,” the MACC added.
