A housewife has claimed trial at the Sessions Court here to 11 money-laundering offences involving about RM1.5mil.
Sadiah Nahar, 48, the first Sarawakian to be linked to money laundering, was charged under Section 4(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorist Financing Act, 2001.
The accused, who was unrepresented, faces five years’ jail or a RM5mil fine or both if convicted.
Deputy Prosecuting Officer Hazril Harun said the offences were committed between January and May 2003.
Sessions Judge Rhodzariah Bujang allowed bail at RM200,000 and fixed trial on March 3 next year to allow the accused to engage counsel.
State commercial crimes investigation department head Supt Willey Richard said Sadiah was the first person in the state to be charged with using ill-gotten money to acquire assets.
“Police have frozen RM295,000 in a bank account of the accused,” he told reporters at the courthouse.
Sadiah and her husband Mohd Ariffin Abdullah, 55, are already on trial in a magistrate’s court for a land-scam charge and were ordered to enter their defence on April 25.
They are alleged to have cheated the Land and Survey Superintendent into paying compensation amounting to nearly RM1.5mil for the acquisition of eight parcels of native customary rights land in Matang here for a road project four years ago.
They face up to 10 years’ imprisonment with whipping and fine if convicted under Section 420 of the Penal Code.
Mohd Ariffin tried to stop press photographers from taking pictures of his wife, who wore dark sunglasses when she arrived in court.
An unidentified man was seen trying to shield her from the photographers.
