KUALA LUMPUR – Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin filed an application at the sessions court on Monday to have his remaining three money laundering charges granted discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA).
The court document showed that the application was filed by the 76-year-old former prime minister’s counsel, Messrs Chetan Jethwani & Co.
Muhyiddin is seeking a DNAA on his remaining money laundering charges, where he was charged on March 10 at the sessions court here with two counts of receiving RM195 million in funds that are proceeds from unlawful activities, and on March 13 at the Shah Alam sessions court with one count of money laundering amounting to RM5 million.
Muhyiddin backs his application, stating that the offences, which were framed under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, are baseless, as his predicate offence involving power abuse charges was quashed by the high court on August 15.
On August 15, the Kuala Lumpur High Court acquitted Muhyiddin of four charges related to abuse of power, involving the receipt of gratification worth RM 232.5 million for Bersatu through the Jana Wibawa Project.
On the same day, the prosecution lodged an appeal with the Court of Appeal against the acquittal.
The court has scheduled the appeal hearing for February 28 and 29 next year.
Muhyiddin still faces three charges related to money laundering, amounting to RM 200 million, also connected to the Jana Wibawa project.
Deputy public prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin, when contacted today, confirmed that the sessions court judge Azura Alwi has fixed November 29 to hear Muhyiddin’s DNAA application as well as his application for a stay of proceeding involving his money laundering charges, pending their case at Court of Appeal. – October 4, 2023