Friday, August 20th, 2010 18:12:00

http://www.mmail.com.my/content/47098-duo-jet-engine-theft-case-charged-moneylaundering

PETALING JAYA: The two men accused of stealing the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) jet engines were charged this morning in separate Sessions Court here, with multiple counts of money-laundering each.

Former company director K. Rajandran Prasad, 38, claimed trial to two charges of money laundering under Sub-section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001 before judge Balqis Aini Mohd Ali.

He was first charged with laundering RM200,000 on May 29 and 30, 2008 at HSBC Bank Malaysia Bhd on the ground floor of Wisma UEP at Jalan USJ 10/1A, USJ 10 Business Centre in Subang Jaya.

The money was alleged to be of illegal gain, from a cheque belonging to P&P Aviation Supplies, for the purchase of Redeemable Preference Shares in Bestino Group Bhd.

He was also charged, under the same Act, with cashing another RM200,000 cheque, also an illegal gain from an account belonging to P&P Aviation Supplies, at the same place on June 10, 2008.

Rajandran pleaded not guilty to both charges.

Balqis Aini allowed the defence's application that Rajandran's previous bail of RM150,000 from his jet engine charged be applied in this case.

Meanwhile, former air force sergeant N. Tharmendran, 42, was charged before Sessions judge Rozina Ayub, with three counts of money-laundering, also under Sub-section 4(1)(a) of the same Act.

He was charged with withdrawing RM35,000 on March 25, 2008 of illegal gain, from his account at Standard Chartered Bank Malaysia Bhd at No 1, Jalan USJ 10/1F, Subang Jaya.

Tharmendran was also charged for withdrawing RM23,000 on April 1, 2008 and RM4,000 on April 28, 2008 at the same place.

The two accused were then transferred to another Sessions Court here, before judge Hayatul Akmal Abdul Aziz.

The prosecution requested today's money-laundering charges for both accused be heard together with the duo's main jet engine theft charge in a joint trial at the same court.

Rajandran's counsel, Parvinder Singh Doal, accepted. However, this was objected by Tharmendran's defence counsels comprising N. Surendren, M. Manoharan and Latifah Koya, who felt their client's chances would be compromised.

Hayatul Akmal set Sept 9 for case mention and also to allow Tharmendran's lawyers to further submit their objection towards the joint-trial. The judge set Tharmendran's bail at RM15,000 for all three charges.

Deputy public prosecutors Muhammad Saifuddin Hashim Musaimi and Mohd Haziq Razali prosecuted both cases.

On Jan 6, Tharmendran was charged under Section 380, read together with Section 109 of the Penal Code, with theft. He was charged with stealing the jet engines on December 2007 at the air movement section of the RMAF base in Subang near here.

He was also charged with conspiring in the theft of the two engines with senior serviceman Mohamad Shukri Mohamad Yusop at the material processing shed (Matra 1) of the RMAF base in Sungai Besi.

Tharmendran was arrested on Sept 1 last year.

On July 19, this year, Tharmendran informed the Petaling Jaya Sessions Court he would rather return to Sungai Buloh prison, citing fears for his safety after he failed to obtain an interim protection order from the court.

This turnabout came just two weeks after he succeeded in posting bail, which had been reduced from RM150,000 to RM50,000.

Meanwhile, Rajandran was charged on the same day as Tharmendran with disposing off stolen properties (the two jet engines) under Section 414 of the Penal Code.

He allegedly committed the offence on April 30, 2008 at No. 49, Jalan TS 6/6, Taman Industri Subang.

Both had pleaded not guilty and the court had ordered that they be tried jointly.