NGO Bruno Manser Fund (BMF) yesterday cited Swiss weekly Schweiz am Sonntag reporting that UBS has filed a case at the Lausanne Federal Court against their AG’s office.
“UBS is apparently trying to impede the prosecutors from using evidence they have obtained in an investigation against the bank over its business relationship with Malaysian politician (Sabah chief minister) Musa Aman and his nominees,” said BMF in a statement.
“UBS has requested that key evidence on the case be sealed and that federal prosecutors be barred from using the evidence in a criminal case against the bank,” it added.
In Sept 2013, the Swiss confirmed they were probing allegations of money laundering through UBS branches in Hong Kong and Zurich.
The case is tied in with the RM40 million that was caught being smuggled into Sabah from Hong Kong in Oct 2012 by Sabah businessperson Michael Chia.
The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) subsequently cleared Musa of any wrongdoing claiming the money was for Umno Sabah.
However, last year PKR parliamentarian Rafizi Ramli urged MACC to reopen the case following Chia’s conviction in Sandakan over another cheating case related to logging concessions.
Meanwhile BMF said the Swiss AG’s office has confirmed legal disputes on the sealing and unsealing of evidence in the ongoing investigation.
The Swiss-based NGO said the bank’s legal action goes against its claim that it is cooperating on the probe.
“BMF calls on UBS to stop obstructing this important case and to fully cooperate with prosecutors,” said the environmental group.
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