Sept 23 Hearing For Riza S Transfer Application To High Court

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Hollywood film producer Riza Aziz.KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here today set Sept 23 to hear the defence’s application to transfer the money laundering case of former prime minister Najib Razak’s stepson, Riza Aziz, from the Sessions Court to the High Court
Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib said the application hearing would be held before High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali
“The parties have been ordered to file their written arguments on or before Sept 17,” he said when met by reporters after case management in the chambers of High Court deputy registrar Mohmad Som
He said the prosecution had filed its affidavit reply to the defence’s application on Aug 23
Counsel Syazwani Mohd Zawawi, representing Riza, 42, told reporters that the defence had filed an affidavit for the application on Aug 16
Asked about the grounds of the defence in filing the application, the lawyer said the case involved complex legal questions as well as issues relating to 1MDB
Akram said the prosecution would object to the defence’s application as the case did not involve questions on laws which are difficult or complicated
“Sessions Court judge Rozina Ayob is competent to hear the case. If the case is transferred to the High Court, it would delay proceedings,” he told the media when asked why the prosecution is objecting to the defence’s application
On July 5, Riza, the owner of Red Granite Pictures, pleaded not guilty to five charges
In the first charge, “The Wolf of Wall Street” producer was accused of involvement in money laundering proceeds from unlawful activities amounting to US$1,173,104 via a transaction made from an account with the number 11116073 belonging to Good Star Limited at RBS Coutts, Switzerland, to account number 123248291 of City National Bank, Los Angeles, belonging to Red Granite Productions Inc
The money was allegedly misappropriated from 1MDB funds
He was accused of committing the offences between April 12 and May 12 at City National Bank, Los Angeles Main, 525 South Flower Street, Los Angeles, California
Riza, who is the son of Rosmah Mansor from her previous marriage, was accused of committing the same offence involving US$9 million via transfers from the same account on Sept 10, 2012 and Oct 10, 2012 at the same premises
In the third and fourth charges, he was charged over the same offence involving US$133 million and US$60 million in money transfers from account number 81134378 belonging to Aabar Investment PJS Limited, at BSI SA, Lugano, Switzerland to account number 6C02250A at BSI Bank Limited, Singapore belonging to Red Granite Capital Ltd
He was accused of committing offence at BSI Ltd, 7 Temasek Boulevard, #32-01 Suntec Tower One, Singapore on June 18, 2012 and Oct 23, 2012
In the fifth charge, Riza was accused of committing the same offence involving US$45 million at the same venue on Nov 2012
The charges were framed according Section 4 (1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001, which carries a fine not exceeding RM5 million, imprisonment not exceeding five years, or both. - FMT

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