Malaysia has seen it all. From accusations of billions of dollars transferred to its top political order, to a savvy dispatch rider who transferred an Islamic bank money to his accounts.
The case involves five men, including two brothers, who were charged over a multi-million ringgit syphoning of funds from Maybank Islamic three years ago.
The highlight of the matter is on the dispatch rider, aged 44, and his brother aged 45, who apparently masterminded the case.
The despatch rider, claimed trial to money laundering by transferring about RM3.7 million belonging to the bank into his account at Lembaga Tabung Haji between Nov 26, 2014 and Jan 29, 2015.
The robbers were turd enough to transfer such huge sums, not knowing perhaps it would trigger alerts that would be investigated by the local central bank.
Being of a certain community, the robbers perhaps went overboard by transferring a large portion of the stolen cash into their ‘pilgrimage’ account at the Tabung Haji, which would be an offence under Islamic law given that no Muslims should travel for pilgrimage with stolen money!
The five were slapped with eight counts of dishonest misappropriation of property and money laundering involving almost RM11 million since 2014, charged under the local anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism financing Act.
It carries up to 15 years jail, a fine of not more than five times the amount involved, or RM5 million, whichever is higher.
The dispatch rider also claimed trial to three other charges of misappropriating RM6.5 million by depositing the money into his bank account at Maybank.
His brother, together with three other accused, were also charged with the same offence at the same place involving RM704,118, RM3 million, RM 396,480, and RM21,318 between October 2014 and January 2015, respectively.
The charge falls under Section 403 of the Penal Code for dishonest misappropriation ofproperty, which carries a jail term of not less than six months, and not more than five years with whipping or fine, upon conviction.
On Feb 8, 24 people involving family members and close friends were charged with the same offence involving a total of RM10.4 million.