This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on October 3, 2019

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court has yet to fix a date to hear the prosecution’s application to transfer the corruption case involving former Lembaga Tabung Haji  (LTH) chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim from the Sessions Court to the High Court.

The defence is not objecting to the application.

High Court deputy registrar Mahyuddin Md Som told The Edge Financial Daily that the matter had been fixed for another case management on Oct 18 at the High Court.

The case came up for mention yesterday and Sessions Court Judge Azura Alwi allowed the prosecution’s application to fix another mention date at the Sessions Court for Oct 21.

Abdul Azeez, 52, was charged with three counts of gratification amounting to RM5.2 million and nine charges of money laundering amounting to RM139.4 million.

Abdul Azeez, who is also Baling member of Parliament, is accused of receiving RM5.2 million from Mohammad Redzuan Mohanan Abdullah, a director of Menuju Asas Sdn Bhd, as an alleged reward for assisting the company in securing highway construction and upgrade works in Perak and Kedah.

The projects were said to be worth between RM197.8 million and RM664.48 million.

On the money laundering charges, Abdul Azeez is accused of receiving proceeds through unlawful activities amounting to RM139.4 million from Menuju Asas Sdn Bhd, Mangkubumi Sdn Bhd, Pintas Utama Sdn Bhd and AVP Engineering (M) Sdn Bhd.

Abdul Azeez’s brother Datuk Abdul Latif Abdul Rahim was charged with abetting him in securing kickbacks amounting to RM4 million for the highway projects.