Kuala Lumpur (MY): Four people, including two Ugandans, a Kenyan and Nigerian national, have reportedly been arrested in Malaysia on allegations of laundering $15m (about Shs53.8 billion).
The suspects include Abdul Malik Muwonge, John Bosco Mukalazi (both Ugandans); Nigerian Michael Ebuka, and Kenyan Samuel Kimani.
“After weeks of being trailed by Malaysian Police and other security agencies, they were arrested at [a hotel] in the Malaysian capital,” a highly-placed security source said, adding that they were also found in possession of passports of at least three countries.
The Police spokesperson Mr Fred Enanga declined to comment on the matter when contacted and referred us to the Foreign Affairs Desk saying: “This is for Foreign Affairs to comment about the plight of Ugandans arrested abroad.”
The Junior Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon Henry Oryem Okello could also not be in best position to comment and instead referred to the Ugandan Ambassador to Maylasia for an affirmative report on the case.
“Our ambassador to Malaysia (Betty Bigombe), is the best person to update you. She’s been there for three weeks now and she is best placed to update you on what efforts she is doing there,” Minister Oryem said.
By press time, efforts to speak to Ms Bigombe were still futile as she was unreachable on all her known contacts.
Money laundering involves disguising financial assets so they can be used without detection of the illegal activity that produced them. Through money laundering, the criminal transforms the monetary proceeds derived from criminal activity into funds with an apparently legal source.
What the law says
In Malaysia, the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (“AMLA Act”) is the primary piece of anti-money laundering (“AML”) and countering the financing of terrorism (“CFT”) legislation in Malaysia.
The AMLA Act stipulates a maximum imprisonment term of 15 years and a fine of no less than five times the sum or value of the unlawful activity or instrumentalities of an offence at the time the money laundering offence was committed, or MYR 5,000,000.00, whichever is higher.
Source: Monitor
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