Malaysia: Joint account equals joint trial

56 year old Ismail Husin was a land-broker and 50 year old Gan Kiat Bend is a "businessman." Both placed moneys into the same account with Standard Chartered in Kuala Lumpur.

Ismail is accused of laundering MYR2.85 million (a little over GBP400,000) in a series of transactions by banking cheques varying in value from a few thousand to more than a million ringgit. Gan is accused of laundering MYR2 million through the same account in four transactions.

The case has been hanging around for a very long time. The transactions forming the basis of the charge are alleged to have taken place in 2003 and 2004. Initially the charges were laid separately and the prosecution applied for an order for joint trial in December 2006. The Trial Judge rejected that application but an appeal was heard yesterday with the decision that a joint trial would not prejudice either defendant.