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KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s former spy chief, who is on trial for criminal breach of trust (CBT), spent US $ 12.1 million (S $ 16.5 million) to purchase six luxury watches with funds contributed to the government, public prosecutors said Tuesday (Oct. 6). ) at the beginning of your trial.
In their opening statement, prosecutors said they will present evidence to show that Hasanah Abdul Hamid had misappropriated the sum under his jurisdiction as a civil servant, local media reported.
Hasanah, 62, was the director general of the Malaysian External Intelligence Organization (MEIO).
The unit he headed was also called the Investigation Division of the Prime Minister’s Department.
“The prosecution will present testimony that the defendant, at the material time in her capacity as director general of the Investigation Division of the Prime Minister’s Department, had received contributions of $ 12.1 million” from an external party, the Deputy Prosecutor Muhamad Iskandar Ahmad was quoted by Malay Mail online news.
“The testimonies will also show how the defendant misappropriated the funds by instructing her officers to purchase six luxury watches, make payments to third parties and transport the remaining money without turning them over to the division or the government.”
DPP Iskandar said that the testimonies will show that the sum of money was provided for a “special purpose” but that the defendant did not fulfill it.
Hasanah on October 25, 2018, pleaded not guilty to the charge of committing CBT in the amount of US $ 12.1 million, or RM50.4 million, in government-owned funds while serving as director general of the Investigation Division of the PMD.
She was charged with committing the crime at the Investigation Division office in Putrajaya between April 30, 2018 and May 9, 2018.
Hasanah was also charged under the Penal Code, which provides a maximum of 20 years in prison and flogging if convicted.
On Tuesday, the High Court allowed the prosecution’s request to have 11 of its 37 witnesses at the trial to testify behind closed doors, out of the public eye, Bernama news agency reported.
Judicial Commissioner Ahmad Shahrir Mohd Salleh said he allowed the request in the interest of national security.
“The prosecution would be exposing national security issues to the public eye and broad media coverage if the evidence of the 11 possible witnesses were carried out in a public hearing,” he said, as quoted by Bernama.
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