Money laundering case adjourned to May 7

Manama, Mar. 14 (BNA): Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmed Al Qurashi said the High Criminal Court today adjourned the money laundering case of three suspects including a religious figure to May 7. The Prosecution charged the suspects with committing the crimes of unlicensed fundraising, money laundering and carrying out financial transaction to conceal the source of their illegal funds. The charges are within the confines of the laws regarding fundraising for public purposes that requires the fundraisers to obtain prior permission from the competent authority. This is a regulatory issue which does not impact on religious duties in any way, he said. The Prosecution in its investigation did not find any legal reason that excuses the suspects from being committed to the law on fundraising, he added. The accusations indicated that the suspects had used the illegally raised funds in private transactions for one of them, which constitutes a crime of money laundering, he said.