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Ex-Sabah water director tells court only RM3m in office pantry cash was his, claims bulk of RM20m belonged to ‘someone else'
KOTA KINABALU, June 26 — A Sessions Court here today heard that large amount of cash allegedly found by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in a former Sabah Water Department director's office pantry belonged to someone else.
The first defence witness, Ag Mohd Tahir Mohd Talib, 63, told judge Abu Bakar Manat that most of the cash found in the pantry did not belong to him — only the amount inside a knapsack was his.
Under cross-examination by deputy public prosecutor Mahadi Abdul Jumaat, Ag Mohd Tahir disagreed with the suggestion that he was the only person who had a key to the pantry.
Mahadi: At the pantry and inside the knapsack, there was nothing belonging to anyone else. Agree?Ag Mohd Tahir: Only inside the knapsack was mine.
Mahadi: In the pantry, there were items belonging to someone else?Ag Mohd Tahir: Yes.
Mahadi: Can you tell the court what items belonged to someone else?Ag Mohd Tahir: A large amount of cash.
He also agreed that no items in the knapsack belonged to someone else.
Earlier, under examination-in-chief, Ag Mohd Tahir testified that the bulk of the RM20 million allegedly found in the pantry was already there when he entered the office. He claimed that from time to time he would keep his money there, especially when his brother came to request political donations.
He maintained that only RM3 million of the RM20 million belonged to him.
Ag Mohd Tahir is on trial alongside his wife Fauziah Hj Piut, 58, and former department deputy director Lim Lam Beng @ Lim Chee Hong, 69.
He faces 11 charges, while Fauziah faces 19 charges under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLATFPUA). The couple also faces two joint charges under the same section, while Ag Mohd Tahir has an additional charge under Section 4(1)(a).
The alleged offences were committed between October 4 and November 4, 2016, at various locations including Ag Mohd Tahir's office, a house in Sembulan, bank branches, a condominium in Sulaman, and a tower in Kuala Lumpur.
Lim is alleged to have committed related offences between October 13 and November 8, 2016, at the MACC office in Jalan UMS and at a residence in Kota Kinabalu.
Ag Mohd Tahir also testified that he was unaware his wife had 19 bank accounts totalling RM2.2 million.
He disagreed with claims that MACC had seized 900 pieces of jewellery, initially valued at RM1.7 million in 2016, and later appraised at RM4.1 million in 2023.
The prosecution is led by deputy public prosecutors Mahadi Abdul Jumaat, Haresh Prakash Somiah and Zander Lim.
Ag Mohd Tahir and Fauziah are represented by Datuk Hj Ansari Abdullah and Erveana Ansari. Lim is defended by Datuk Tan Hock Chuan, Baldev Singh and Kelvin Wong.
The trial resumes on July 23. — The Borneo Post
