By Free Malaysia Today
The prosecution succeeded in its application to jointly try the money laundering and corruption trials that former Bersatu information chief Wan Saiful Wan Jan faces in connection with the Jana Wibawa programme.
The Kuala Lumpur sessions court allowed the bid after Deputy Public Prosecutor Afif Ali made a request to transfer the money laundering case to be jointly heard with the corruption case before judge Rozina Ayob. Wan Saiful’s lawyer Amer Hamzah Arshad did not object to the request, Bernama reported.
Wan Saiful, the Tasek Gelugor MP, was previously charged with 18 counts of laundering RM5.59 million before judge Suzana Hussin, and two charges of soliciting and accepting bribes of RM6.9 million before Rozina.
Afif told the court that the prosecution would be calling 32 witnesses to testify during the trial. He then requested that the trial dates of March 11-12, 2024, be set aside for the preparation of documents.
According to Bernama, Rozina set the trial dates for March 25-27; April 29-30; and May 20-21 next year, and added June 19-21 and 24-25; July 10-12; and Aug 8-9.
Wan Saiful, 47, is accused of soliciting bribes from Lian Tan Chuan as an inducement to help Nepturis Sdn Bhd secure the RM232 million Central Spine Road: Sertik to East Coast Highway Interchange project from the former Perikatan Nasional-led government at the pre-qualification stage.
He is also accused of accepting RM6.96 million in cash through his company WSA Advisory Group Sdn Bhd’s CIMB bank account from the Maybank Islamic account belonging to Nepturis, as a reward for helping the company obtain a letter of acceptance for the project.
The two offences were allegedly committed in Kuala Lumpur – at the Royal Lake Club, Taman Tasik Perdana in April 2022, and at CIMB’s Bukit Tunku branch in Taman Tunku, Bukit Tunku between July 8 and Sept 30, 2022.
Wan Saiful was also charged with 18 counts of laundering RM5.59 million by transferring and using the illegal proceeds to pay for the purchase of a Ford Ranger vehicle, making payments to the National Sports Council, as well as transferring money to several company accounts, including one belonging to Sinar Karangkraf Sdn Bhd.
The offences were allegedly committed at CIMB’s Bukit Tunku branch between Aug 12 and Nov 13, 2022, and the charges were framed under section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
