KUALA LUMPUR (July 19): A Maybank branch deputy manager testified on Friday that two cheques to the amount of RM404,990.90 were deposited into former Perlis menteri besar (MB) Datuk Seri Azlan Man’s bank account in 2014 and 2015.

The MB is facing false-claims and money-laundering charges.

Hashimah Hasshim, 54 - the bank’s branch assistant manager at Wisma FGV, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, here - testified that Azlan opened a current account with the number 014020114458, at its then Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman branch on Oct 25, 1985, in his name.

She added that on Feb 28, 2014, there was a deposit into Azlan’s account via a cheque from Sri Kedawang Travel & Tours (W) Sdn Bhd to the amount of RM208,339.90.

“Sri Kedawang’s cheque is dated on Feb 14, 2014, and the cheque was cleared on Feb 28,” Hashimah added.

The third prosecution witness also testified that on Feb 5, 2015, Sri Kedawang issued a cheque to Azlan to the amount of RM196,651, and the cheque was cleared on Feb 9, 2015.

The two cheques in question were among those that the prosecution referred to during Thursday’s proceedings.

On Thursday, the bank’s Jalan Raja Laut branch assistant manager, JS David Fesudasan, testified that three cheques from the same travel agency were issued into Azlan’s account between 2014 and 2016 to the amount of RM629,395.30.

David said the three cheques were from Sri Kedawang, one of which was dated Feb 14, 2014, to the amount of RM208,339.90, while the other was dated Feb 5, 2015, to the amount of RM196,651, and the third, dated Jan 20, 2016, was for RM224,404.40.

On April 12 this year, Azlan claimed trial at the Sessions Court to five charges of receiving proceeds of unlawful activities amounting to RM1.06 million.

The former Bintong assemblyman was charged with committing the offences at the Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman Maybank branch here, the CIMB Bank branch in Putrajaya, and the Sheraton Imperial Hotel, here, between Feb 19, 2014, and December 2017.

All the charges are framed under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLA), which are punishable under Section 4(1) of the same Act.

On April 10, Azlan claimed trial in the Kangar Sessions Court to five counts of submitting false overseas travel claims, amounting to more than RM1.18 million, between 2013 and 2017.

The charges are being tried together here before Sessions Court judge Azura Alwi.

Deputy public prosecutors Noralis Mat, Mohd Saiful Nasir, Zander Lim and Haresh Prakash Somiah appeared for the prosecution, while Burhanudeen Abdul Waheed appeared for Azlan.

Prior to this, Azlan had sent letters of representation, but they were rejected by the Attorney General's Chambers.

Hashimah, when cross-examined by Burhanudeen, agreed that Azlan’s address as stated in the bank document for the opening of the account in 1985 could not have been Perlis MB’s official residence, as he was not the MB then.

The witness agreed that there could be a mistake in the bank document, and when re-examined by the prosecution, she said the bank document was computer-generated data from the Maybank system.

The trial continues before Azura on Aug 1 and 2. 

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