What Mule Account Defence Representation Covers

What does this service cover?

Mule account defence representation follows your case from start to finish, not just one question. It covers the time before your statement, the investigation, a possible charge, and court if the case goes that far.

People come in at different points. Some have just had a call from CCID; others already have a court date. The lawyer starts from wherever your case is now.

Before you give any statement

JSJK is the police Commercial Crime Investigation Department, also called CCID ^[f4]. If you have not yet given a statement to JSJK, this is the time to prepare. A lawyer goes through what you are likely to be asked and what the facts of your case are. You practise answering clearly, without guessing or over-explaining.

Our page on preparing for a JSJK statement explains this stage in more detail.

If you are called in for investigation

Once an investigation is open, CCID may ask for documents, more interviews, or an explanation of certain transactions. A lawyer handles these requests, checks you understand them, and can help make sure nothing you give is taken out of context.

This stage can decide whether the case moves toward a charge or is closed with no further action. That is why it needs careful handling.

If you are charged

A charge can fall under one or more of the mule account sections of the Penal Code.

Section 424A covers holding or controlling another person’s account without lawful authority ^[f1]. Section 424B covers giving control of your own account to someone else without lawful authority or lawful purpose ^[f2]. Section 424C, the most serious, covers carrying out transactions through any account without a lawful purpose ^[f3].

At this stage the lawyer reviews the investigation papers (IO papers), explains your options, and arranges bail. These offences are bailable, so bail is a right, and the court or police set the amount and conditions.

Preparing for court

If the case goes to trial, the lawyer builds your defence on your own facts. What you knew, and why you gave up control of the account, matter to your defence. The lawyer also gathers the evidence that supports your version of events.

The investigation and court process can take time. Your lawyer tells you what happened at each hearing and represents you throughout, so you never face court without guidance.

What does this mean for your frozen account?

For some people, the criminal case and the frozen account are the same problem seen from two sides. An AMLA section 44 freeze lasts up to 90 days unless you are charged, and a later seizure order lapses after 18 months if no one is charged ^[f6]. So what happens in the criminal case directly affects your account. Police detected 46,048 mule accounts in 2023 and 50,295 in 2024. ^[f5]

A lawyer looks at both together, so a step on one side does not hurt you on the other.

What representation cannot promise

No lawyer can promise an outcome, a timeline, or that charges will be dropped. What a lawyer can give you is a well-prepared case at every stage.

How do you start?

You can start at any stage: just contacted, mid-investigation, or with a court date already set. The first step is the same: a consultation to find out where your case stands and what needs to happen next.

Do you have a statement date, a letter from CCID or a charge sheet? A lawyer can read it and tell you your stage and what to do first.

Sources

1. Penal Code (Amendment) Act 2024, Sections 424A, 424B, 424C
2. Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah Komersil (JSJK/CCID)
3. Low & Partners, “Keldai Accounts: When Helping a Friend Becomes a Criminal Offence” (2024)
4. Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLA), Section 52A