Riza Shahriz Abdul Aziz, the stepson of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court here today to five charges of involvement in money laundering activities involving US$248 million (RM1.25 billion) which were misappropriated from the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) fund.
Riza, 42, the owner of Red Granite Pictures entered the plea in the presence of Judge Rozina Ayob after the charges were read out to him.
Details of the five charges:
1. April 12, 2011 to May 12, 2011
Receiving US$1,173,104 from Good Star Limited’s RBS Coutts (Zurich, Switzerland) account 11116073 into Red Granite Productions Inc’s City National Bank (Los Angeles, US) account 123284291
2. September 10, 2012 to October 10, 2012
Receiving US$9 million from Good Star Limited’s RBS Coutts (Zurich, Switzerland) account 11116073 into Red Granite Productions Inc’s City National Bank (Los Angeles, US) account 123284291
3. June 18, 2012
Receiving US$133 million from Aabar Investments PJS Limited’s BSI SA (Lugano, Switzerland) account 81134378 into Red Granite Capital Ltd’s BSI Bank (Singapore) account 6C02250A
4. October 23, 2012
Receiving US$60 million from Aabar Investments PJS Limited’s BSI SA (Lugano, Switzerland) account 81134378 into Red Granite Capital Ltd’s BSI Bank (Singapore) account 6C02250A
5. November 14, 2012
Receiving US$45 million from Aabar Investments PJS Limited’s BSI SA (Lugano, Switzerland) account 81134378 into Red Granite Capital Ltd’s BSI Bank (Singapore) account 6C02250A
The charges were made under Section 4(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Prevention of Terrorism Financing and Proceeds from Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
If convicted under any of the five counts, the penalty is a maximum RM5 million fine or up to a five-year jail term or both.
Prosecution was conducted by former Federal Court Judge Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram and Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib while Riza was represented by a legal team led by Datuk K Kumaraendran.
Sri Ram offered bail at RM1 million.
Kumaraendran did not object to the amount but asked for the bail to be paid in instalment. He told the court that they have raised RM500,000, and would need time to get the remaining amount and asked for permission to pay it next week.
The application was however opposed by the prosecution.
After hearing submissions from both parties, Judge Rozina then imposed RM1 million bail with two sureties and on Riza, and for him to surrender his passports to the court.
She also said the bail must be paid in full by the end of the day.
Riza’s family members Nor Izham Puteh and Azizan Osman stood as his sureties.
Case mention was fixed on Aug 9.
Riza, who is Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor’s son from a previous marriage, came to the court with his stepsiblings, Noorashman Mohd Najib and Nooryana Najwa Mohd Najib.
He wore a black suit and sported close-cropped hair and a beard stubble.
Keeping a poker face in court today, he sat inside the accused dock while his step-siblings sat at the public gallery behind him.
Riza left without speaking to the press after posting bail.