ATTORNEY-GENERAL Idrus Harun today said his predecessor Tommy Thomas had agreed in principle to consider the deal proposed by Riza Aziz to settle his money-laundering charges.

Idrus said Riza had made several representations to the A-G’s Chambers through his solicitors, Messrs Scivetti & Associates, for the charges against him to be dropped in return for properties and money allegedly gained by him.

Riza was facing five charges for receiving proceeds of an unlawful activity totalling US$248 million (RM1.08 billion) linked to 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) between April 2011 and November 2012.

If guilty, he faced up to five years’ jail and a fine of up to RM5 million.

“I have been advised that my predecessor Tommy Thomas, after perusing the said letter of representation, via a minute dated November 19 to senior deputy public prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram, sought the views of the latter, and further stated that in light of the proposals outlined above, he is prepared to consider the representation.

“I have been further advised that Sri Ram, in consultation with the then MACC chief Latheefa Koya, suggested that the proposals laid down in the letter of representation be accepted by MACC.

“I have also been advised that Thomas had agreed to the suggestion in principle. This paved the way for further negotiations and planning of the mechanism to be adopted, to take place,” Idrus, who is also the public prosecutor, said in a statement today.

He was referring to the government’s deal to drop charges against Riza in return for recovering overseas assets allegedly linked to 1MDB estimated at US$107.3 million (RM465.3 million).

As part of the agreement, the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court on May 14 allowed an application by the prosecution for a discharge not amounting to acquittal in Riza’s case.

Thomas, however, accused the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) of lying by insisting that he had agreed to have Riza conditionally discharged for alleged money laundering.

Thomas, who resigned as attorney-general on February 28 after the Pakatan Harapan government collapsed, said he had been unfairly dragged into the decision regarding Riza’s discharge not amounting to an acquittal.

Idrus said that Riza’s solicitors had sent another letter of representation on March 11, fortifying the earlier proposal and undertook that should Riza fail to comply with the terms and conditions, the original five money-laundering charges would remain.

“This was then presented to me after I had been made aware of Thomas’ earlier position.

“Having been briefed by the deputy public prosecutors in charge of the matter, I shared the views of my predecessor as had been informed to me, and agreed to accept the offer that was made by Riza subject to his strict compliance with the terms and conditions.”

He added that on April 16, the MACC replied to the solicitors stating that the public prosecutor was willing to apply for a discharge not amounting to an acquittal on all five charges subject to Riza taking steps to ensure that the monies and properties seized be transferred to the Malaysian government, and to pay a compound pursuant to section 92 of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001.

He said the deal with Riza resulted in the government recovering approximately US$108 million, subject to the eventual sale proceeds of the assets and deduction of the associated costs thereof, to be credited into the 1MDB asset recovery trust account.

He said this was in addition to the US$57 million which was forfeited earlier in April 2019 from Red Granite Pictures, a company co-owned by Riza, the funds of which were traceable to 1MDB.

“These arrangements are part of the government’s ongoing efforts to recover assets related to 1MDB,” he said. – May 17, 2020.