The Johor Bahru Sessions Court today rejected an application by the MACC to forfeit assets worth millions of ringgit belonging to former state exco Abdul Latiff Bandi, his son and daughter-in-law.

Judge Kamarudin Kamsun made the decision after hearing submissions from the prosecution and defence.

The court also ordered the seized assets to be returned to Latiff, his son Fauzan Hatim and his daughter-in-law Nur Shaliza Mohamad Salleh.

Deputy public prosecutor Mahadi Abdul Jumaat applied for a stay of execution of the order, pending an MACC appeal under Section 311 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which the judge granted.

Nevertheless, the court allowed the respondents to apply to MACC for use of their seized vehicles, under bond, while waiting for disposal of the appeal.

Latiff, who was present in court, was represented by counsel Abd Rahim Ali.

In January 2017, MACC seized six vehicles from the respondents – a Honda CRV, Toyota Land Cruiser, Honda HRV, Nissan Skyline, Porsche Cayenne and Toyota Vellfire, and 16 luxury watches and foreign currency.

- Bernama