Former A-G disputes MACC statement on Najib’s stepson

Updated 3 years ago · Published on 14 May 2020 8:31PM · 10 Comments

Former attorney-general Tommy Thomas says he is 'terribly disappointed' the MACC made a false statement in saying he had agreed to drop charges against Riza Aziz. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, May 14, 2020.

FORMER attorney-general Tommy Thomas tonight denied agreeing with the government’s decision to drop money-laundering charges against Riza Aziz.

His remarks were in response to a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) statement explaining the events that led to the sessions court giving Najib Razak’s stepson a discharge not amounting to an acquittal today. 

In the statement, the agency said that the decision to drop charges had been agreed to by Thomas.

Responding to this, Thomas said he was aware that Riza’s lawyers had made written representations to the Attorney-General’s Chambers regarding the case. Such representations are usually made by lawyers on behalf of accused persons and is a normal practice in most jurisdictions.

Riza is the son of Najib’s wife, Rosmah Mansor, from her first marriage. His claim to fame is being a partner at Hollywood production company Red Granite, which produced The Wolf of Wall Street starring Leonardo DiCaprio. 

Recalling the sequence of events, Thomas said that his special officer at the AGC, Rahayu Mamuzaini, drew his attention to the written representations made by Riza’s lawyers.

After going through the contents, Thomas said he had handed the documents over to special prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram, who is prosecuting Riza in the money-laundering case.

The brief was simple: Sri Ram was to examine the representations made by Riza’s lawyer, but as far as the prosecution was concerned, nothing happened after this.

Thomas said: “I resigned two and a half months ago and up to that point, there was no agreement to drop charges against Riza. So, it is wholly untrue and a fabrication to say that I had agreed to the decision.

“I am terribly disappointed that the MACC had to make this false statement.”

The sessions court had granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal to Riza, who had been charged with five counts of money laundering amounting to US$248 million.

Judge Azman Ahmad had allowed the application after Sri Ram told the court this would be subject to the accused fulfilling his side of the bargain. – May 14, 2020. 

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Comments

  • The plot thickens.

    Looks like a co-ordinated cover-up.

    One billion plus laundered, does it make sense to let him go free?

    Posted 3 years ago by Johan M. · Reply

  • Its a prelude by the backdoor PN government to acquit the big crooks like Najib, Zahid, Ku Nan, Azeez and Bung Mochtar without having them to plead guilty so that these crooks can re-start their political life with a clean slate.

    Posted 3 years ago by Rupert Lum · Reply

  • So now the MACC has been taken over by those who collude with thieves.
    Thank you Pengkhinat Nasional, the backdoor government of thieves.
    Thank you Muhyiddin. You have done yourself proud.
    You have shown us how to rescue the biggest thieves the world has ever seen.

    Posted 3 years ago by Arul Inthirarajah · Reply

  • And so it begins, all the great escapes from justice so politicians can have their way again.

    Posted 3 years ago by Brian Narayanan · Reply

  • Nothing will happen when the backdoor govt is in place.

    Posted 3 years ago by Alison Teh · Reply

  • Gopal Sri Ram is also leading the 1MDB case. It will be the same result. I think the ending is going to be sadly predictable. Tak Malu Bossku, Zahid, and the 8 other UMNO crooks all released. Let the plunder resume!

    Posted 3 years ago by Johan M. · Reply

  • Very soon Bersatu will be overtaken and finished off working with wolves.

    Posted 3 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • ptui to assmin and longkang geng

    Posted 3 years ago by . . · Reply

  • Tan Sri make a Police report for the record. Dont expect much from the penghiant nasional government.

    Posted 3 years ago by Thomas Samuel · Reply

  • Tommy Thomas left two and half months and this is cook up for us to swallow for a bastard who enjoys tax payers money live his life with such glamorous way, bought premium properties and fuck around town with all the whores with our money and gets to make a deal with a potential to walk as a free man. I hope you dont bump into me cause I tell you now that you will get a spit from me. A real mommys boy you are. I am sure there is some decent souls in the AG chambers and MACC office who cant stomach all this and can you please stand-up to put the record straight. We can see the up coming scripts for fucking couple by now and imaging they are given to govern this nation back. Pak Din would say we are above board and not involved in the court verdict. I am ashamed to call myself a Malaysian.

    Posted 3 years ago by Teruna Kelana · Reply