Thursday 28 Mar 2024
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KUALA LUMPUR (July 6): Umno has withdrawn an application to cite CIMB Bank for contempt as it regained access to its accounts containing RM192.2 million belonging to the party.

In the High Court here today, Umno lawyer Tania Scivetti told High Court Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan of their intention to withdraw the contempt application before the court.

CIMB’s lawyer Rabindra Nathan also informed the court that the party had been granted full access to its accounts as of last Friday.

Umno sought to cite the bank for contempt last week as the bank had not released the political party's RM192.2 million despite an order from the High Court on June 19 for the immediate release of the monies.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) had sought to freeze the accounts and seize the RM192.2 million as the funds were said to be monies received from 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) in 2013.

The Court of Appeal dismissed the prosecution's attempt to stay a lower court ruling on the forfeiture application pending the appeal last Friday.

On Feb 7, Justice Mohamed Zaini dismissed the government's application to forfeit over RM194 million seized from four parties, including Umno.

The judge made the verdict on the grounds that the monies could not be convincingly said to be from former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and that there was no evidence to prove that the monies came from unlawful activities.

The forfeiture application against Umno was filed in accordance with the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.

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