KUALA LUMPUR: In a first for the Federal Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID), 14 suspects linked to a syndicate that withdrew RM24.7 million from several savings accounts are being held under Sosma.
Federal CCID director Datuk Seri Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf said with the organised crime element found in the case, the suspects were immediately detained under Section 4(5) of the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma).
"This is the first time that suspects have been detained under Sosma by CCID during the course of investigations.
"We have been instructed by the deputy public prosecutor's office to charge 10 of the 14 individuals," he told reporters at the Federal CCID headquarters here today.
He said nine of them will be charged under Section 130V(1) of the Penal Code for being a member of an organised criminal group while another individual would be charged for offences under the National Registration Regulations 1990.
"They are expected to be charged at the Kota Kinabalu court on Thursday.
"The mastermind of the syndicate as well as two bank managers will be among the 10 who will be charged," he said, adding that police were confident that the syndicate's activities had been crippled.
On June 13 a bank employee was arrested on suspicion of being an insider and conspiring with the syndicate to withdraw RM24.2 million from depositors' savings accounts.
The CCID received four reports earlier this month concerning the losses.
The complainants, who were account holders and bank staff, reported multiple suspicious cash withdrawals in Kota Kinabalu involving several savings accounts with the bank.
The account holders denied knowledge of the transactions and added that they had not made any withdrawals in Kota Kinabalu as claimed.
Investigations so far indicate involvement by syndicate members both inside and outside the bank, as the withdrawals could only have been done internally.
A total of 14 suspects were arrested in connection with the case following raids in Sabah and Perlis.