KUALA LUMPUR: Fugitive businessman Liow Soon Hee @ Nicky Liow, who gave himself up to police on Monday, is believed to have gone into hiding in Thailand for a year while he was on the run.
Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Razarudin Husain said yesterday investigations were ongoing to ascertain where Liow went when he absconded.
“However, we believe he was hiding in Thailand after slipping out of the country through illegal passages between borders. It could have been via Kelantan or elsewhere. We are trying to find that out,” he said.
Yesterday, Liow, 34, was taken to the Shah Alam sessions court in the morning, where he was charged with 26 counts of money laundering involving RM36 million.
The charges were for offences under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
Liow was allowed bail of RM1 million and had his passport impounded.
It was learnt that he paid part of the bail and was freed on condition he settled the rest of the sum today.
In a statement yesterday, Commercial Crime Investigations Department director Comm Datuk Kamarudin Md Din said police had carried out investigations into the case with transparency and in accordance with the law.
He said police never negotiated or offered a plea bargain to those involved in the case or attempted to protect the interests of any party.
Kamarudin said in April last year, Liow was charged in absentia along with 15 of his syndicate members who were held for involvement in organised crime, adding that in September last year, the Shah Alam High Court gave Liow a discharge not amounting to an acquittal for the charge.
Kamarudin said Liow’s lawyers filed for an appeal to get him a full acquittal and on March 8, the Shah Alam High Court granted it.
“Based on the High Court decision to fully acquit him, Liow decided to give himself up. He sent police a letter to say he was prepared to surrender through his lawyers.
“However, on March 23, we managed to obtain an order to add 26 counts of money laundering to his charges under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
“We also obtained a warrant for his arrest. This was to ensure Liow did not escape any of the charges. When he gave himself up, we arrested him,” he said.
On Monday, at about 11am, the businessman surrendered to police at the Commercial Crimes Investigations Department headquarters in Jalan Tun Razak.
The crimes Liow was charged with were investigated by Johor police in April last year after they uncovered a multi-million ringgit scam syndicate allegedly masterminded by him.
Comm Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay, who was the Johor police chief at the time, had ordered the arrest of Liow and his accomplices upon exposing the scam ring.
While Liow took off and went into hiding, 116 others including his two brothers were arrested in 68 raids in the Klang Valley.
A massive hunt for Liow ensued, with police alerting their Interpol counterparts to be on the lookout for the fugitive.
Police also revealed that at least three dozen personnel of enforcement agencies and policemen were under investigation on suspicion of colluding with Liow’s syndicate.
