THE Sessions Court in Kuala Lumpur has fixed April 19 to deliver its decision on the corruption and money laundering case of former Youth and Sports Ministry finance division secretary, Otman Arsahd.

Lawyer Rafique Rashid Ali, representing Otman, 64, said the date was fixed by Judge Kamarudin Kamsun today.

“Originally, it was supposed to be today, but it was postponed to April 19 after we informed the court that the defence will file additional motions,” he said.

On March 31, 2016, Otman was charged with 32 counts of abuse of power and with submitting false claims totalling RM38.4 million at the National Sports Council Office, Bukit Jalil National Sports Complex, between February 28, 2012, and November 18, 2015.

The 17 counts of submitting false claims were framed under section 18 (a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Act (MACC) 2009, while the remaining 15 charges of abuse of power were under section 23 (1) of the same act.

On April 2016, Otman was charged with 64 counts of receiving RM16,623,000 from unlawful proceeds, through cheques, which were deposited into his Maybank, RHB and CIMB Berhad accounts between March 7, 2012, and December 11, 2015.

He was alleged to have committed the offences at different locations, including the RHB Bank branch in Precinct 8, Putrajaya, Menara Maybank, Jalan Tun Perak, and the Maybank branch on Jalan Raja.

The charges were framed under section 4 (1) (b) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, which carries a maximum prison term of 15 years, or a fine not less than five times the sum of the unlawful gains, if convicted.

A total of 70 prosecution witnesses were called to testify in the trial. – Bernama, March 30, 2023.