SHAH ALAM: Three big guns of charitable organisation Aman Palestin were slapped with multiple charges for counts of money laundering, criminal breach of trust and cheating at the Sessions Court here Thursday (Feb 15).
They were accused of misappropriating funds belonging to Aman Palestin which were derived from public donations to ease the suffering of the people in strife-riddled Palestine.
In the dock to face the charges were the organisation's chief executive officer Awang Suffian Awang Piut, 52, executive director Abdullah Zaik Abd Rahman, 58, and director Khairudin Mohd Ali, 42.
Both Awang Suffian and Abdullah Zaik were accused of embezzling about RM39.5mil each whilst Khairuddin had allegedly misappropriated about RM6mil.
ALSO READ: MACC seeks woman for alleged involvement in Aman Palestin case
The charges were framed under Section 4(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act as well as Section 409 and 420 of the Penal Code for embezzlement and cheating.
It was a dizzying frenzy as the court interpreter painstakingly read the charges to the accused before Judge Anita Harun.
Awang Suffian and Abdullah Zaik were slapped with 52 charges each under Sectiom 409 of the Penal Code and 19 charges each under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Tertorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities.
Awang Suffian and Abdullah Zaik were also charged together for 19 counts under Section 420 of the Penal Code.
All three were also directors of Syarikat Samudra Champa Sdn Bhd, which had allegedly utilised Aman Palestine funds to purchase houses, shop lots and land in various locations.
Some of the charges were for purchasing gold at a cost higher than the stipulated market price.
ALSO READ: Three individuals to be charged on Thursday for Aman Palestin public donations misappropriation
The duo also faced an additional 19 charges under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act.
Their fellow company director Khairudin was slapped with three charges under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act.
The trio face a jail term of not more than 15 years, a fine not less than five times of the amount misappropriated or RM5 mil whichever is higher for each of the charge under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act.
Both Awang Suffian and Abdullah Zaik also face a jail term of not less than two years and not more than 20 years, with whipping and a possible fine for each charge framed under Section 409 of the Penal Code.
ALSO READ: Investigations into Aman Palestin ongoing, says MACC
For every charge under Section 420 of the Penal Code, they face a jail term of not less than a year and not more than 10 years with whipping and a possible fine.
A total of 164 charges were read with 161 of then involving Awang Suffian and Abdullah Zaik.
Both the prosecution had agreed on a bail amount of RM1mil with one surety for Awang Suffian and Abdullah Zaik, with RM500,000 to be deposited on Thursday and the remaining on March 13 which is the date set for case mention.
As for Khairudin, a RM200,000 bail, with one surety, was set and he was ordered to make a RM100,000 payment on Thursday with the remaining amount to be settled in a month's time.
Anita also ordered for their passports to be surrendered to the court.
DPPs Ahmad Akram Gharib, Wirna Arifin, Nurul Atiqah Mohamad Alias and Fatin Farhana Ismail prosecuted whilst the accused were represented by Datuk Zamani Ibrahim and Siti Mardhiyyah Zamani.
