Sabah minister claims trial to RM8.75 million money laundering charges

(FMT) – Sabah Infrastructure Development Minister Peter Anthony pleaded not guilty today to five charges of money laundering and accepting the proceeds of illegal activities totalling RM8.75 million between 2014 and 2016.

Anthony, 49, claimed trial to the charges read before Sessions Court judge Abu Bakar Manat at the Kota Kinabalu Court Complex here.

Abu Bakar set Aug 8 for the next mention of case management and ordered Anthony, a Warisan vice-president, to post bail of RM500,000 with two local sureties.

Anthony was also ordered to surrender his passport to the court and to report to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) once every two months.

Anthony was charged under Sections 4 (1)(a) and 4 (1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001.

For the first count, the Melalap assemblyman was charged with the illegal transaction of RM1.75 million at Maybank, Jalan Perpaduan in Kampung Air here on July 25, 2014.

For the second charge, he was accused of unlawfully receiving RM2 million at the same location.

For the remaining charges, he was accused of receiving RM5 million on three separate occasions at the same bank.

Anthony was represented by counsels Luke Ressa Balang, Martin Tommy, Cedric Choo and Douglas Lind.

Mohd Akram Garib and Mohd Fariq Basiruddin meanwhile appeared for MACC.

MACC earlier asked the court to set bail of RM1 million and for Anthony to surrender his passport and report to the agency once a month.

It said the charges against him were of great gravity.