WAN SAIFUL TRIAL: OVER RM900,000 DEPOSITED INTO THREE COMPANIES’ ACCOUNTS - WITNESS

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 12 (Bernama) -- The Sessions Court, here, was told today that a total of RM976,380 was deposited into the bank accounts of three companies, through five transactions, two years ago.

Norsuhana Yusof, 46, assistant manager at the Ambank Manjalara branch, confirmed that RM400,000 each was transferred into the Ambank Islamic accounts of Jendela Timur Consultant, on Sept 2, 2022, and Fendi Dilif Resources, on Oct 5, 2022.

"On Oct 20, 2022, there were transactions of RM31,800 and RM54,000, made for Fokus Malaysia Studio via money transfer," she added.

"There was also a transaction of RM90,580, made for Fokus Malaysia on Nov 7, 2022," she said when referred to the Ambank Islamic account statements for the three companies.

Norsuhana, the 17th prosecution witness, was giving her testimony during the examination-in-chief conducted by deputy public prosecutor Mohd Shahrom Idris, at the trial of former Bersatu information chief Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan, who faces 18 charges of money laundering and two charges of corruption, in relation to the Jana Wibawa project.

In response to a question from lawyer Chetan Jethwani, who is representing Wan Saiful, the witness confirmed while she could verify that money had been deposited into the bank accounts, she was unaware of the specific purpose for which the funds were deposited.

Previously, Wan Saiful was charged with using proceeds from illegal activities through two cheques, each valued at RM400,000, issued to Jendela Timur Consultant and Fendi Dilif Resources. Additionally, he is accused of transferring a total of RM176,380 from illicit sources into the bank account of Fokus Malaysia.

The trial, before Judge Rosli Ahmad, resumes tomorrow.

On the first corruption charge, Wan Saiful, 49, is accused of soliciting bribes from Lian Tan Chuan as an inducement to help Nepturis Sdn Bhd secure the RM232 million Central Spine Road: Sertik to East Coast Highway Interchange project from the Malaysian government on a pre-qualification basis.

He is also accused of accepting RM6,962,694.54 in cash for himself, through his company WSA Advisory Group Sdn Bhd's CIMB Bank account, from the Maybank Islamic account belonging to Nepturis, as a reward for helping the company obtain a Letter of Acceptance for the project.

The two offences were allegedly committed at the Royal Lake Club, Taman Tasik Perdana here, in April 2022 and at CIMB Bank Bukit Tunku Branch, Taman Tunku, Bukit Tunku here between July 8 and Sept 30, 2022.

Wan Saiful also faces 18 money laundering charges involving RM5.59 million, by transferring and using the proceeds of the illegal activities, among others, to pay for the purchase of a Ford Ranger vehicle at the CIMB Bank Berhad Bukit Tunku Branch here, between Aug 12 and Nov 13, 2022.

-- BERNAMA