The former
prime minister filed the notice of application at the Kuala Lumpur
Sessions Court on Monday, and his legal team served copies of the
application to the prosecution on the same day. Deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin confirmed that they have been served copies of Muhyiddin’s application.
Previously, Muhyiddin’s legal team informed the Sessions Court that they intended to file the bid to set aside the three money laundering charges. On Aug 15, the Kuala Lumpur High Court allowed Muhyidin’s application
to nullify the four abuse of power charges against him, resulting in a full acquittal.
However, the prosecution has since appealed to the Court of Appeal to reverse this acquittal.
‘Baseless charges’
Unlike
a full acquittal, a DNAA opens the possibility of Muhyiddin being
recharged for the same offence in the future, if prosecutors wish to do
so. According to a copy of Muhyiddin's affidavit in support of the DNAA
bid, the Bersatu president contended that the three money laundering
charges are now baseless with the nullification of the four abuse of
power charges.
The Perikatan Nasional (PN) chairperson claimed
this was because money laundering charges depend on the existence of
predicate (main) criminal charges such as abuse of power. He
contended that with the four power abuse charges having been quashed,
the three money laundering charges have become baseless.
Money
laundering is the offence of disguising financial assets so they can be
used without detection of the illegal activity that produced them. Through
money laundering, the monetary proceeds derived from criminal activity
are transformed into funds with an apparently legal source. Back
in March before the Sessions Court, Muhyiddin claimed trial for four
counts of abuse of power and three money laundering charges involving
RM232.5 million.
‘Three companies, 1 individual’
The
four abuse of power charges, framed under Section 23(1) of the MACC Act
2009, accused him of using his position as then prime minister and
(still now) Bersatu president, for an inducement of RM232.5 million from
three companies and an individual, between March 1, 2020, and Aug 20,
2021.
BluePanther4725 : Muhyiddin is trying to follow the Zahid stunt. The PN supporters should hold a demonstration to protest, like they did for Zahid. Where are these cowards?
Turnedback : On what ground you are qualified for DNAA, Muhiddin are to prepare to return the money stolen back to the tax payers. Is easy to appeal for DNAA, what Rakyat are concerned why there is no accountability and transparency related millions of money missing during your time as PM. You should be held answerable for what happened to Jana Wibawa.
mosquitobrain : Pagoh law maker TSMY, forget about your SIL and the lawyer. What about the fortune of the Chinese middle man, a 'Datuk T' from Muar, where MACC has raided and discovered RM 200m, from his house?
