PUTRAJAYA Nov 23 (FMT) : A former Melaka Public Works Department (JKR) director today began his 15-month jail term after the Court of Appeal affirmed his conviction on 13 counts of corruption amounting to about RM195,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A three-member bench chaired by Hanipah Farikullah also upheld Khalid Omar\u2019s conviction for money laundering after RM375,000 was found in his house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The bench, also consisting of Hadhariah Syed Ismail and Che Ruzima Ghazali, affirmed a 15-month jail term and RM5 million fine, or another five month\u2019s jail, for the money laundering offence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The custodial sentence for corruption and money laundering charges are to run concurrently, meaning Khalid, 61, will only serve 15 months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Khalid, represented by Ragunath Kesavan and J Kuldeep Kumar, was freed on bail of RM350,000 pending his final appeal today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Deputy public prosecutor Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar appeared for the prosecution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hanipah said the bench found the conviction for corruption safe as there was no doubt the money was received from sub-contractors for the department\u2019s social and sport activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She said the only exception was in regard to the RM375,000 in which the prosecution could not prove that Khalid had received the proceeds from another four unlawful activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The sessions court had sentenced Khalid to 15 months\u2019 jail and fined him RM36 million for 18 counts of corruption and money laundering on July 5, 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The High Court dismissed Khalid\u2019s appeal and affirmed the conviction and sentence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Khalid received a total of RM196,200 in bribes at the Melaka PWD office at Jalan Taming Sari between March 2014 and August 2016.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The charges were framed under Section 165 of the Penal Code, which provides an imprisonment for up to two years, or with fine, or both the punishments, if found guilty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He was also charged with money laundering, involving about RM5.2 million, including RM206,396.16 in his Amanah Saham Bumiputera 2 account, RM506,735.92 in a Tabung Haji account, RM375,200 cash, RM1,984,798.08 in an Amanah Saham Wawasan 2020 account and RM2.13 million in an Amanah Saham Didik account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The offences were allegedly committed at several locations in the state, between Sept 1, 2015 and Aug 15, 2016.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The charges were made under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, which carries a maximum jail sentence of 15 years, or fine not less than five times the aggregate sum or value of proceeds from the illegal activities, upon conviction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n