ACA charges Comm Ramli

The Star

By M. MAGESWARI and RASHITHA A. HAMID

Datuk Ramli Yusoff Charged
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KUALA LUMPUR: Commercial Crimes Investigation Department director Comm Datuk Ramli Yusoff has been charged with not disclosing information about two office units belonging to his sisters and on shares which he owned.

Comm Ramli, 55, in his capacity as a public servant, was also charged with being involved in business as a company director.

Family backing : Comm Datuk Ramli Yusoff arriving in court yesterday accompanied by his wife Datin Anita Harun, who is a Sessions Court judge, and his daughter. Ramli was charged with not disclosing information about his assets and for unlawfully engaging in business. – KAMARUL ARIFFIN

He claimed trial to all three charges at a Sessions Court here yesterday.

It is understood that Ramli could be facing several further charges.

Comm Ramli was alleged to have failed to comply with the terms of a notice dated July 17 issued by the Public Prosecutor to give a written statement under oath on all his assets under Section 32(1)(a) of the Anti-Corruption Act 1997.

Ramli was accused of not revealing information on two office units in Jalan Yap Kwan Seng which belong to his elder sister Rohmah @ Hasmah and younger sister Roslina. The two units are worth RM1mil.

The two sisters were directors of an investment holding company, Bonus Circle Sdn Bhd.

The senior police officer, who is married to Sessions Court judge Datin Anita Harun, was said to have committed the offence at the Deputy Public Prosecutor’s office in the Anti-Corruption Agency’s headquarters in Putrajaya on Sept 17.

As for the second charge, Comm Ramli had allegedly failed to disclose information on 154,000 units of shares worth about RM200,000 in a property company, Permaju Industries, Bhd at the same place and time.

If convicted, he can be sentenced up to 20 years’ jail and fined a maximum of RM100,000 for each of two charges under Section 32(2) of the Anti-Corruption Act 1997.

On the third charge – a summons charge, where Comm Ramli stood outside the dock – he was accused of unlawfully engaging in business in Kinsajaya Sdn Bhd on April 25 last year.

If found guilty, he can be sentenced up to a year's jail or fined, or both, under Section 168 of the Penal Code.

DPP Mohamad Jazamuddin Ahmad Nawawi asked the court to set bail at RM40,000 in one surety and to impound his passport upon Ramli’s return from performing the haj in Mecca next month.

He will be leaving tomorrow to perform the umrah and then the haj later in the first week of December.

However, lead counsel Datuk K. Kumaraendran, asked the court not to impound his client’s passport saying that Ramli would not abscond.

“The current charges have cast a shadow on his character and credibility as a respectable senior police officer. The accused intends to restore his good name and not to shy away and flee,” said Kumaraendran.

He said the court could also consider releasing his client on his (Ramli) personal bond.

Sessions Court judge S.M. Komathy Suppiah set four days from Jan 15 next year for trial after the prosecution told her that they intended to call 20 witnesses to testify against him.

Komathy refused to release Ramli on a personal bond but granted him bail at RM20,000 in one surety.

She told Ramli that he could keep his passport.

DPP Mohamad said prosecution would be calling 15 witnesses for the summons case.

Komathy set Jan 15 for mention after Kumaraendran told her that he wanted to study the summons charge to see if he needed to apply for a joint-trial.

Ramli's friend of 30 years, businessman Datuk Roger Tan, posted bail at 4.15pm.