A businessman charged with offences relating to his role as a director of three different companies, allegedly engaged in money laundering, is claiming trial.

Abdul Ghani Tahir, who is facing 23 charges under the Companies Act and the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act (CDSA), confirmed in court on Friday that he will be fighting the allegations.

The 50-year-old, who was first charged on March 5, faces three charges of failing to exercise reasonable diligence in the discharge of his duties as a director of the companies, all of which are registered in Singapore. These charges arise from various fund transfers that were made from various parties within and outside of Singapore into those companies.

He also has to answer to 20 charges stating that due to his neglect, the three companies had transferred their "benefits of criminal conduct to various bank accounts outside Singapore", which are offences under the CDSA. These charges also relate to various fund transfers out of the three companies. The case will be mentioned in the State Courts again on May 5.