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.
Comments
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
Posted 3 years ago by Rupert Lum · Reply
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
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