Court Allows Temporary Release Of Abu Sahid's Passport For London Trip

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 19 (Bernama) -- The Sessions Court here today granted an application by Maju Holdings Sdn Bhd director Tan Sri Abu Sahid Mohamed for the temporary release of his passport to accompany his daughter to university in London, in January next year.

Judge Suzana Hussin ordered the 74-year-old's passport to be released today, to be returned to the court on or before Jan 30, 2026.

"Accordingly, the court grants the applicant permission to travel to the United Kingdom (UK) from Jan 12 to 28, 2026," said Suzana.

However, the court dismissed an application by deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Fadhly Mohd Zamry to impose an additional condition to bar the accused from conducting any transactions with his personal bank accounts in the UK for the duration of his travel.

Earlier during the proceedings, Mohamad Fadhly had submitted that the court could invoke provisions under Sections 388 and 389 of the Criminal Procedure Code regarding the court's authority to impose additional conditions.

However, Abu Sahid's lawyer, Datuk Jasbeer Singh, opposed the application, arguing that the prosecution had failed to identify the existence of any such bank accounts.

"The request for this additional condition is being made without first identifying whether any bank accounts exist, where they are located, what type of accounts they are, or how much money is held in them. I believe this is rather prejudicial to the accused.

"All of Abu Sahid's bank accounts in Malaysia are already frozen. Imposing this extra condition would unfairly hinder his ability to cover his daughter’s university fees abroad," the lawyer contended.

The Director of Maju Holdings Sdn Bhd faces five charges of criminal breach of trust involving more than RM458.5 million of company funds entrusted to him in bank accounts at Taman Tunku and Taman Serdang Perdana here, between May 3, 2016, and Oct 21, 2019.

He was charged under Section 409 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years' imprisonment, caning, and a fine, upon conviction.

He also faces 10 additional charges of transferring illicit proceeds totalling RM116,449,536.12 from his account to five individuals and four construction companies.

For three further money laundering charges, Abu Sahid is accused of disposing of illegal proceeds amounting to RM22,802,612.86 by making cash withdrawals through 15 cheques drawn from his account at the same bank between May 4, 2016, and Sept 19, 2018.

The charges were brought under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years' imprisonment and a fine of five times the value of the proceeds upon conviction.

-- BERNAMA