A 50-year-old director of a fishing processing company was today charged at the Putrajaya Sessions Court with 62 counts of money laundering totaling RM34 million.

Gazali Rashid, of Taman Kajang Prima, is charged with the offence committed between March 2006 and January 2007, at Malayan Banking, Jalan Pasar 2, Semenyih, while he was director of Malaysian Sea Best Sdn Bhd.

It is alleged that he used the funds to pay individuals and companies ranging from RM318 to RM13 million.

Sea Best has contracts with the Fisheries Department's Majuikan (Fisheries Development Authority of Malaysia).

Gazali claimed trial to all charges. He stands to face a maximum RM5 million fine or five years jail if convicted.

Gazali was jointly charged earlier this month with Mohd Khairuddin Abu Bakar, a former marketing and sales managing director of Majuikan Sdn Bhd, at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court with two counts of cheating a businessman of more than RM40 million (euro 10 million), of which he also claimed trial. Khairuddin also claimed trial.

DPP Mohd Haaziq Razali applied to the court for the money laundering case be tried together with the cheating case at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court.

He also agreed that the bail of RM300,000 bail set at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court be applied in this case.

Gazali was represented by lawyer Md Yunus Shariff.

Judge Suzana Hussin subsequently allowed the case to be heard in Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court on Sept  23.