Maju Holdings boss gets passport temporarily for UK travel

Maju Holdings Sdn Bhd’s director Abu Sahid Mohamed has been cleared to travel to the United Kingdom to accompany his daughter's enrolment into a university there next month.

The Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court judge Suzanna Hussin today allowed his application to travel to London between Jan 12 and 28, as well as to obtain his passport for the trip temporarily.

The judge also ordered Abu Sahid to return his passport to the court by or on Jan 30. He had previously filed his application on Dec 10.

Subsequent to the verdict this morning, deputy public prosecutor Fadhly Zambry sought the court’s consideration to block Abu Sahid from using his bank accounts in the UK.

“The respondent requested that the court consider using its discretion to impose additional conditions, following one of our main concerns as stated in our affidavits, which is for the accused not to be allowed to use his bank accounts in the UK.

“I believe this court can invoke Sections 388 and 389 of the Criminal Procedure Code in considering this application,” he said.

However, Abu Sahid’s lawyer, Jasbeer Singh Kaura, objected to Fadhly’s application, saying that such additional conditions are unfair and would make “life difficult” for the accused.

“The prosecution had made this application, after the court had actually used its discretion in granting our application, without first identifying whether there are any bank accounts in the UK.

“Where are the bank accounts? What bank accounts? What money is inside? In that situation, (these additional conditions) would be unfair to the accused.

“In the event there is a bank account, the applicant (Abu Sahid) needs money from the accounts to pay for their daily expenses, as well as their daughter’s school fees.

“If the court were to impose such a condition, then what are they going to do? Because their accounts in Malaysia have all been frozen, so when they go to the UK to pay their daughter’s fees, where do they get the money from?” he said.

Suzanna then dismissed the prosecution’s applications after considering both parties’ oral submissions.

CBT and money laundering charges

Abu Sahid, 74, was charged on Sept 8, where he pleaded not guilty to four criminal breaches of trust (CBT) charges and 13 money laundering charges before Suzana.

His CBT charges were framed under Section 409 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum of 20 years’ jail, caning and a fine.

Abu Sahid was accused of using his position as the Maju Holdings’ director to dishonestly use the company’s funds amounting to RM313 million at CIMB Bank Berhad in the Bukit Tunku branch between May 3 and Nov 22, 2016, Jan 20 and Nov 27, 2017, Jan 8 and Nov 30, 2018, and Oct 21, 2019.

His money laundering charges were framed under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLATFPUA) involving RM139 million.

Under this offence, he was alleged to have moved RM139 million out of his personal CIMB accounts into the accounts of five individuals and five companies, as well as cashing the funds via 15 cheques.

Abu Sahid was alleged to have done so on 19 separate occasions between May 4, 2016, and Oct 20, 2019, for which he is liable to a maximum of 15 years’ jail and a fine of at least five times the value of the proceeds or RM5 million, whichever is higher.

He was charged again on Sept 24 at the Shah Alam Sessions Court, where he claimed trial to one CBT charge under Section 409 of the Code with allegedly misappropriating RM145.5 million funds entrusted to him as the Maju Holdings’ director.

The funds were reportedly transferred to a construction company between Jan 12 and June 13, 2018.

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