THE Kota Kinabalu Sessions Court today postponed to next year the trial involving a former Sabah Water Department director and two others accused of money laundering.

Judge Abu Bakar Manat fixed 17 days for trial, between February 5 and March 22, to allow the defence to clear housekeeping matters following their request for a postponement.

“Once the trial dates are fixed, the court will not entertain any postponement (requests) unless there is a near-death situation.

“Therefore, ample time is given for all matters (in the case) to be resolved.”

On February 28, Abu Bakar had fixed 16 days for trial, between July 4 and August 25.

In the dock are former state Water Department director Mohd Tahir Mohd Talib, 55, his wife, Fauziah Piut, 52, and state Finance Ministry technical and engineering adviser Lim Lam Beng, 63, who claimed trial to laundering RM61.48 million and owning luxury goods gained from illegal activities.

They were charged under Section 4 (1) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001, which provides for a maximum of 15 years’ imprisonment and a fine of not less than five times the amount or value of the proceeds from illegal activities or equipment, or RM5 million, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

Counsel P.J. Pereira, who represents Tahir and Fauziah, had requested at least six months’ postponement beginning today to allow Tahir’s accountant to prepare a report stating that RM30 million belonged to him.

Lim’s counsel, Baldev Singh, also asked for more time to sort out matters relating to his client’s application for the Kota Kinabalu High Court to bring in a lead counsel from the peninsula for the trial.

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission deputy public prosecutor Tengku Amir Zaki Tengku Abdul Rahman said although the prosecution was ready to begin the trial as soon as possible, it did not object to the postponement.

Tengku Amir Zaki told the court that the prosecution would call in 215 witnesses to testify. – Bernama, August 11, 2017.