By Bernama | Free Malaysia Today


Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim at the courthouse in Putrajaya today. — BERNAMA

There was no miscarriage of justice in the corruption and money-laundering cases preferred against former Tabung Haji chairman Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim, the Court of Appeal heard today.

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Aslinda Ahad submitted that the prosecution would prove its case based on evidence and that a fair trial would be conducted against him.

Aslinda was submitting in an appeal brought by Azeez against the High Court’s dismissal of his application to strike out three counts of bribery charges involving RM5.2 million linked to road projects in Perak and Kedah and 10 money-laundering charges involving a total of RM13.9 million which he was accused of receiving from Syarikat Menuju Asas Sdn Bhd.

She said the corruption and money-laundering charges preferred against Azeez were not defective.

Aslinda said there was no need to specify in the charge sheet the form of unlawful activities that Azeez was accused of committing in respect to his money-laundering charges.

She said the money-laundering charges could stand on their own, adding that the prosecution, through its witnesses’ evidence would explain what the unlawful activities were.

On the corruption charge against Azeez, she contended that there was no multiplicity or duplicity in the charge as the gratification he was accused of receiving was for four projects.

Meanwhile, Azeez’s counsel Amer Hamzah Arshad submitted that his client was a victim of political prosecution and that the trial should not be allowed to go on as it amounted to unjust suffering for him.

He said the “particularisation of the ingredients” of the charges had not been fulfilled, adding that the court should not allow the charges to stand.

According to the charge sheet, Azeez, 55, is alleged to have committed the corruption offences at CIMB Bank, Jalan Tun Perak in Kuala Lumpur on Dec 8, 2010, and at Affin Bank, Puchong City Centre, Selangor, on June 13, 2017 and April 10, 2018.

He is alleged to have committed the money-laundering offences in the Klang Valley area between March 8, 2010, and Aug 30, 2018.

At the end of the appeal hearing, Amer Hamzah said he had received instructions from his client to seek permission from the court to personally say a few words.

However, Justice Kamaludin Md Said felt there was nothing for Azeez to say for now as he was innocent until proven guilty. Also, the judge added, it was better for him to remain quiet at this point in time.

Kamaludin, who sat with Justices Abu Bakar Jais and Che Mohd Ruzima Ghazali, deferred the court’s decision to a date to be fixed.


Source: https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2021/10/06/nothing-wrong-with-charges-against-azeez-court-told/