Anti-graft task force finds RM20 million in police officer’s bank accounts
The six-month graft probe into 60 policemen believed to be involved in corruption and money laundering has made a shocking discovery – one senior officer had amassed RM20 million in several bank accounts, a senior Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officer said.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the officer told The Malaysian Insider that the senior police officer could not account for the staggering amount in his possession.
"Investigations are still going on. There will be more exposes in the weeks to come," said the source.
The source said it could not be ruled out that there are more cops who had illegally amassed moveable and immovable assets worth millions of ringgit.
"The investigators were shocked to discover the massive amount from this senior cop, but we believe there is more to come," he said.
The 60 cops, the biggest number being investigated by the MACC simultaneously in recent times, are mostly high-ranking officers based nationwide.
The Malaysian Insider learnt that the task force comprises senior officials from the MACC, Bank Negara, the Inland Revenue Board, the National Registration Department, the Immigration Department, the Customs Department, the Securities Commission and the police.
The task force is being spearheaded by Attorney General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail. It was also recently enlarged as the probe deepens due to the technicalities involved.
The source said the task force was directly answerable to Gani whose officers are assisting in ensuring credible evidence is collected to secure convictions in the courts later.
The Malaysian Insider had reported on January 25 that a senior police officer, one of 60 cops under probe for graft, is among several policemen brokering deals with the MACC to assist in fingering more crooked cops in return for immunity from prosecution.
It was reported that the senior police officer and several others were prepared to name several other senior police officers in return for their freedom.
"Investigations have been going on for several months now and investigators have discovered about 30 senior police officers who are living beyond their means," an official had said then.
"Many of these senior police officers, who are based nationwide, were found to have at least RM1 million or more in their respective bank accounts. These officers did not even bother to hide their wealth or attempt to do so," the official had said.
In an earlier report, The Malaysian Insider had stated that a disgruntled policeman's complaint to the MACC marked the beginning of an investigation that has resulted in some 60 policemen being probed.
The policemen were alleged to have collected bribes from operators of illegal businesses in the federal capital. The businesses ranged from illegal gaming cybercafes to massage parlours and vice dens.
Depending on the type of business, each operator paid between RM10,000 and RM50,000 a month to the policemen to avoid being raided and hassled.
Due to the MACC probe, a senior police officer with a "Datuk" honorific was transferred to the Bukit Aman police secretariat.
The Datuk was questioned by the MACC which discovered more than RM6 million stashed away in various accounts.
However, the MACC official had told The Malaysian Insider then that the RM6 million was merely the tip of the iceberg.
As investigations intensified, MACC had also seized luxury vehicles, such as a Range Rover Evoque (worth RM400,000), Nissan Skyline (RM388,000), Toyota Vellfire (RM450,000), BMW 7-series (RM800,000) and Mercedes-Benz E-class (RM400,000) from the suspects.
Besides properties and luxury vehicles, police had also seized a substantial amount of money, jewellery and gold from some of the policemen. – February 23, 2014.
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