THE government is expected to recover overseas assets, estimated at US$107.3 million (RM465.3 million), as part of a deal to drop money laundering charges against Najib Razak’s stepson Riza Aziz, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) said today.
In a statement, the MACC said it has been informed that it is a conditional release where the prosecution reserves the rights to reinstate the charges and prosecute the accused if there is no satisfactory completion of the agreement.
“Based on the agreement, the accused is required to pay a compound to the government under Section 92 of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, which is punitive as an alternative to the charges brought against him.
The agreement between the prosecution and the accused through representation in court was a decision considered and agreed by former attorney-general Tommy Thomas, MACC said.
Earlier today, the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court allowed an application by the prosecution for a discharge not amounting to an acquittal on Riza from several charges made on July 5, 2019.
Riza had faced five counts of laundering up to US$248 million via a Red Granite Pictures, a Hollywood production house he co-owned.
He had faced up to five years’ jail and a fine of up to RM5 million. – May 14, 2020.
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