by FARAH SOLHI

GLOBAL Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings Bhd (GISBH) top leaders, including CEO Datuk Nasiruddin Mohd Ali and his wife Azura Md Ali, were charged today for being members of an organised crime group.

Twenty other individuals, ranging from 27 to 72 years old were also charged with the same offence at the Selayang Session Court judge this morning.

Charged individually, the offence is said to occur between October 2020 until Sept 11 this year at Bandar Country Homes in Rawang, Selangor, with sentence of jail between five to 20 years upon conviction.

Apart from Nasiruddin and Azura, the other members charged were Hasnan Abd Hamid, Mohd Shukri Mohd Noor, Mokhtar Tajuddin, Shuhaimi Mohamed, Muhammad Afdaluddin Latif, Mohamad Sayuti Omar, Mohd Fazil Md Jasin, Mohd Dhirar Fakhrur Razi and Muhammad Zahid Azhar@Nadzri.

The other top leaders include son of Al-Arqam founder Mohammad Adib At-Tarmizi Asa’ari, Abu Ubaidah Ahmad Shukri, Muhammad Fajrul Islam Khalid, Hamimah Yakub, Asmat@Asmanira Muhammad Ramly, Mahani Kasim, Siti Hajar Ismail, Khalilatul-Zalifah Mohammad Jamil, Nurul Jannah Idris, Nur Jannah Omar and Siti Salmiah Ismail.

However, none of the accused entered their plea against the charge before judge Lailatul Zuraida Harron@Harun as organised crime offences are under High Court’s purview.

Only media personnel and court officers, including the securities and police, were allowed in the court gallery throughout the proceeding, while the court complex was heavily guarded by special task force police.

The situation at court gallery was tense and quiet throughout the proceeding, until it was broken momentarily when one of the female defendants started coughing out loud.

The court later learned that the defendant is unwell, and allowed for the defendant to seek further medical attention.

The judge also fixed Dec 23 for case mention, where it is learned that the prosecution will seek the court’s permission to transfer the case to Shah Alam High Court.

The group was represented by five lawyers led by Datuk Rosli Kamaruddin, Zaim Rosli, Dorina Abdullah, Boestamam Ahmad and M Hafiz Zainol Abidin.

The prosecution was handled by Deputy Public Prosecutors Datuk Razali Che Ani, Datuk Nazran Mohd Sham, Lina Hamini Ismail and Siti Hajar Mat Radzi.

Before the proceeding ends, Rosli requested for the court’s direction in regards to bail for Nasiruddin, Azura, Mokhtar Tajuddin and Hamimah.

The court, however, denied bail for the four individuals, and said any request for bail should be sought in High Court.

Later, Rosli told the press that the defence would be filing a representation letter to the Attorney General’s Chamber (AGC), as soon as next week. But he did not disclose whether the application would seek the AGC’s discretion to review or drop the charge against 22 individuals.

Rosli further said that he hoped this would be the only charge “thrown” at GISBH members, as previously, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution was quoted as saying that the organisation’s members arrested are investigated for 10 different offences including sexual offences against kids, Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (SOSMA) and the Anti-trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants (ATIPSOM) Act.

Nasiruddin, his wives and childen together with Mohammad Adib, the son of Al-Arqam’s founder Asa’ari Muhammad or “Abuya” were among the 19 individuals arrested under police’s Ops Global on Sept 19. They were remanded for seven days.

However, the GISBH CEO was rearrested together with 57 other members on Oct 10 and investigated under SOSMA at that time.

Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain was previously quoted as saying that 415 GISBH members were arrested since the launch of Ops Global in September.

Out of the total, he said, 273 have been granted police bail, 37 released without condition, 35 remain under detention, two have been handed to Kedah Islamic Religious Affairs Department and one is currently being handled for deportation under the Immigration Department.

Apart from those arrested, Mohd Shuhaily also stated that 625 child victims, aged between two months and 28 years, were rescued and are now under the care of the state.