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KUALA LUMPUR: The Session Court here today granted a discharge that does not amount to an acquittal by Hollywood producer Riza Aziz, who had been charged with five money laundering charges worth $ 248 million.
Judge Azman Ahmad allowed the request after ad hoc prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram told the court that this would be subject to the defendant’s fulfillment of his part of the deal.
“An agreement was reached between the prosecution and the defendant under the terms of which the federal government will receive a substantial sum of several million ringgit,” he said, reading a prepared statement.
Sri Ram also said that the sums had a direct reference to the subject of the framed charges.
In light of the deal, he said, the charges against Riza will not continue at this time until the deal ends.
“The prosecution, with the consent of the accused, now respectfully moves the court for a discharge order that does not amount to an acquittal.”
The court also allowed the return of the RM1 million issued by Riza’s two bonds.
Sri Ram, who was assisted by Deputy Prosecutors Ahmad Akram Gharib and Wan Shahruddin Wan Ladin, said that steps will be taken to ensure that Riza receives a full acquittal once the deal is successfully completed.
“But if the agreement is not satisfactorily completed, the prosecution reserves the right to reinstate the charges and prosecute the accused to the fullest extent of the law,” he added.
He said that since the charges against Riza were filed last year, the producer had made several statements through his attorneys that had been carefully considered.
Riza, represented by Hariharan Tara Singh and Tania Scivetti, made statements last year for a review of the charges.
He claimed a trial in July 2019 on the money laundering charges allegedly related to funds received from Good Star Ltd and Aabar Investments PJS Ltd.
The two companies were said to be linked to fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho.
Riza, who is the son of Rosmah Mansor, was accused of receiving the money between April 2011 and November 2012 at the City National Bank in Los Angeles, California, as well as at the BSI Bank on Temasek Boulevard in Singapore.
The crime under the Law against money laundering, financing against terrorism and the proceeds of illegal activities carries a prison sentence of up to five years and a maximum fine of RM5 million or five times the amount of income, which make it bigger.
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