Businessman Alvin Goh, who escaped from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters last October by climbing over a fence, has claimed trial at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court to seven counts of receiving RM2.14 million, the alleged proceeds of illegal activities.
Goh Leong Heong, also known as Alvin Goh, and his brother Goh Yeong Hui were taken to court with their hands chained.
They arrived at the court complex about 11am and were heavily guarded by Immigration Department enforcement officers.
Clad in white lockup attire, the two were calm while being ushered into the Sessions Court’s dock to face seven money laundering charges.
The main suspects in the Macau Scam syndicate and online gambling activities, Alvin, 32, and Yeong Hui, 28, pleaded not guilty after all the charges were read out before judge Sabariah Othman on Monday (April 12).
According to the first to the seventh charge sheets, both men, as directors of Malaysia House of Internet Sdn Bhd, had allegedly received a total of RM2.14 million from two China nationals through a bank account belonging to the company.
The offences were allegedly committed at Public Bank Berhad, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, between Sept 9 and Nov 7, 2019.
The charges were framed under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceed of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 and the brothers face a maximum 15 years in prison, and a fine at least five times the amount of money involved or RM5 million, whichever is higher.
Earlier, Deputy Public Prosecutor Lee Keng Fatt proposed bail of RM300,000 for each accused for all the charges.
He said the amount was reasonable as the men were charged with a serious offence and Alvin was a flight risk as he had a record of fleeing from the authorities.
“The prosecution hopes the court would take judicial notice on this as the incident (where Alvin fled) was reported in the media,” he said, adding that it took weeks for Alvin to be rearrested.
Lawyer Jacky Loi, who represented the brothers, asked for a lower amount.
He said Alvin was currently under a two-year detention under the Prevention of Crime Act (Poca).
Judge Sabariah fixed bail at RM200,000 in one surety each.
It was reported that Alvin and another suspect, known as Addy Kanna, had been identified as coordinators and agents tasked with preparing call centres to scam victims.
The call centres, equipped with computers and telecommunication equipment, operated from offices and luxury residences targeting Chinese citizens for online gambling and other scams.