Verdict on former Youth and Sports Ministry senior officer's corruption case on April 19

KUALA LUMPUR-- The Sessions Court here has fixed April 19 to deliver its decision in a corruption and money laundering case involving a former Youth and Sports Ministry Finance Division Secretary Otman Arshad.

Lawyer Rafique Rashid Ali, representing Otman, 64, said the date was fixed by Judge Kamarudin Kamsun today.

"Originally, today was fixed for a decision at the end of the defence’s case. But it was postponed to April 19 after we informed the court that the defence will file additional motions," he said when contacted by Bernama.

On March 31, 2016, Otman was charged with 32 counts of abuse of power and with submitting false claims involving RM38.4 million at National Sports Council Office (NSC), Bukit Jalil National Sports Complex here between Feb 28, 2012, and Nov 18, 2015.

The 17 charges of allegedly submitting false claims were framed under Section 18 (a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Act (MACC) 2009, while the remaining 15 charges of abuse of power were under Section 23 (1) of the same Act.

On April 2016, Otman was charged with 64 counts of receiving RM16,623,000 from unlawful proceeds, through cheques, which were deposited into his Maybank, RHB and CIMB Berhad accounts between March 7, 2012, and Dec 11, 2015.

He was alleged to have committed the offences at different locations, including the RHB Bank branch in Precinct 8, Putrajaya, Menara Maybank, Jalan Tun Perak, and the Maybank branch in Jalan Raja.

The charges were framed under Section 4 (1) (b) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, which carries a maximum jail term of 15 years, or a fine not less than five times the sum of the unlawful proceeds activities, if convicted.

A total of 70 prosecution witnesses were called to testify in the trial. - BERNAMA