by DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Jan 17: A former mayor from Sarawak, and three others arrested during Op Ragada on Wednesday and Thursday, are suspected of being involved in approving projects that were misappropriated by a senior executive of a broadcasting station here.
According to a news report by Bernama, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said the four individuals are also believed to have received illegal proceeds from the embezzlement.
“The former mayor is the top officer of the broadcasting company which approved the projects, and we are still investigating if the suspect took gratification like the other three suspects,” he was quoted as saying, today.
However, Razarudin said, the former mayor and a former general manager have been released on police bail.
The police is currently looking into extending the remand of the other two individuals, after their remand period ends today.
In a separate report by New Straits Times, Razarudin said, “Our investigators are in the midst of compiling the investigation papers to refer to the deputy public prosecutor for further instruction.”
It also reported that aside from the ex-mayor, 67, a 71-year-old woman was also freed on police bail.
The woman, a ‘Datuk’, is a former general manager of a media organisation.
It said, the duo were among four people arrested yesterday afternoon and released hours later after having their statements recorded.
Last week, the police arrested five individuals in Sarawak and Penang under Op Ragada after uncovering suspicious transactions linked to multiple bank accounts between 2017 and September 2024.
The New Straits Times reported that one of the suspects is believed to have awarded tenders to companies controlled by family members.
The Op Ragada led by Bukit Aman, resulted in the seizure of vehicles and bank accounts with a total value of more than RM17 million.
The modus operandi involved criminal money laundering activities through suspicious financial transactions and offences such as criminal breach of trust, tender fraud, and awarding tenders to oneself or family members.
The case is currently being investigated under Section 4(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, Section 409 of the Penal Code, Section 420 of the Penal Code, Section 403 of the Penal Code, and Section 23 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009. – DayakDaily
