Former Sarawak welfare officer sentenced to 468 years, RM180m fine for embezzling RM16m

 

Former Sarawak welfare officer sentenced to 468 years, RM180m fine for embezzling RM16m



Judge Musli Ab Hamid imposed the sentence after Mohd Zairull Arzuan Mohd Shamsuddin Ja’afar @ Ang Chui Thong, 38, pleaded guilty to 36 charges of money laundering and three counts of CBT. — The Borneo Post pic

Wednesday, 09 Apr 2025 2:38 PM MYT


KUCHING, April 9 — The Sessions Court here today sentenced a former Sarawak Welfare Department financial administrative assistant to a total of 468 years in jail, a fine of RM180 million in default 36 months’ jail, and three strokes of the rotan for 39 charges of money laundering and criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving over RM16 million.

Judge Musli Ab Hamid imposed the sentence after Mohd Zairull Arzuan Mohd Shamsuddin Ja’afar @ Ang Chui Thong, 38, pleaded guilty to 36 charges of money laundering and three counts of CBT.

For each of the 36 money laundering charges, Musli sentenced him to 12 years’ imprisonment and an RM5 million fine in default one month’s jail, with the jail terms to run concurrently.

For each of the three CBT charges, he was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment and one stroke of the cane, with the jail terms to also run concurrently.


As the jail sentences will run concurrently, Mohd Zairull will spend at least 12 years in jail depending on whether he will be able to pay the RM180 million fine, failing which he will need to complete another three years behind bars.


The money laundering charges were framed under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, punishable under Section 4(1) of the same Act.

The CBT charges were framed under Section 409 of the Penal Code, which carries a jail term of between two and 20 years in prison with caning or fine upon conviction.


Mohd Zairull committed the money laundering offences between 2020 and 2022, involving a total of RM6,013,504.30, while the CBT offences took place between 2019 and 2021, involving RM10,272,350.13.

It is understood that Mohd Zairull’s salary statement revealed suspicious transactions, with over RM4 million being credited into his account.

It is also understood that Mohd Zairull, who was the officer responsible for the salary simulation of the department in Sarawak, submitted his resignation letter effective January 31, 2022.

However, he shortened his notice period and resigned with immediate effect on December 31, 2021.

The case was prosecuted by deputy public prosecutors Wan Nur Amanina Wan Din, Mohd Ashrof Kamarul, and Manjira Vasudevan.

Mohd Zairull was represented by counsel Christopher Bada. — The Borneo Post