The prosecution has filed an appeal against what it described as a lenient sentence imposed on former Sabah Water Department director Ag Mohd Tahir Mohd Talib in one of Malaysia’s most high-profile corruption-linked money laundering cases.
The appeal, filed on May 25, also challenges the acquittals granted to Ag Mohd Tahir’s wife, Fauziah Piut, and former Sabah Water Department deputy director Lim Lam Beng.
According to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), Ag Mohd Tahir was previously convicted by the Kota Kinabalu Special Corruption Sessions Court on 12 counts of money laundering involving approximately RM49.7 million.
The offences were prosecuted under Sections 4(1)(a) and 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLATFPUAA 2001).
The court sentenced him to eight years’ imprisonment for each charge. However, all jail terms were ordered to run concurrently, meaning he would serve a total of eight years behind bars.
In addition, Ag Mohd Tahir was fined RM284.3 million. Failure to pay the fine could result in an additional 78 months’ imprisonment.
Despite the conviction, the court granted a stay of execution on both the prison sentence and fine pending the outcome of an appeal at the High Court, while allowing existing bail conditions to remain in place.
In the same proceedings, Fauziah was acquitted of 19 money laundering charges involving approximately RM2.2 million, while Lim was cleared of four charges linked to about RM2.3 million.
The court also found Ag Mohd Tahir and Fauziah not guilty of two joint charges involving assets valued at approximately RM6.5 million.
The case, widely known as “Ops Water”, began in October 2016 following investigations into alleged money laundering activities and the ownership of assets believed to have been acquired through illegal means by senior officials within the Sabah Water Department.
All three accused were charged on Dec 29, 2016, with the lengthy court proceedings stretching for almost a decade before a verdict was finally delivered.
MACC said the court has also ordered that all forfeiture proceedings involving assets under Section 55 of AMLATFPUAA 2001 be put on hold until all appeals have been fully concluded.
The status of all seized assets and exhibits will remain unchanged, with no property to be returned until the case has been finally resolved through the higher courts.
The prosecution’s latest appeal signals that the long-running Ops Water saga is far from over, with the final outcome now set to be determined by the appellate courts.
