Syahruddin (left) and Sufri leaving the court room.
KOTA KINABALU: A deputy director of the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) attached to Tawau branch claimed trial in the Sessions Court here on Friday to three charges of intending to deceive a principal by agent.
Syahruddin Mohd Saleh, 39, who appeared before judge Abu Bakar Manat, was charged under Section 18 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act (MACC) 2009, punishable under Section 24 (2) of the same Act 2009 with submitting receipts that contained false particulars for reconciliation of expenses claims incurred for an activity in Beluran.
The indictment provides for 20 years’ jail and a fine of not less than five times of the alleged false particulars or a fine of up to RM10,000, or which amount is higher, upon conviction.
The judge declared the court as Sandakan Sessions Court because it was a Sandakan case.
On the first to the third charges, the accused had allegedly submitted three receipts amounting RM2,000, RM290 and RM1,700 respectively which contained false details to a deputy director of finance and accounting for MCMC to claim for the said activity at the MCMC office in Sandakan on July 24, 2014.
The court fixed August 16 to re-mention the case at the Kota Kinabalu Court Complex for handing over of documents to be used in the trial.
Syahruddin, who was represented by counsel Abdul Fikry Jaafar Abdullah, was released on a bail of RM10,000 with RM5,000 deposit for each of the charges with one local surety.
The court also ordered the accused to report once every two months at the MACC office and his passport to be kept by the court.
Apart from that, the accused, who is still working, was reminded not to disturb the prosecution’s witnesses, pending disposal of the case.
In a separate case, an assistant director attached to the MCMC in Kota Kinabalu pleaded not guilty in the same court to a charge of using as genuine an invoice with an intention to cheat in claiming for memorandum of reconciliation of expenses incurred for an activity in Beaufort seven years ago.
Sufri Hassan Mindar, 35, was charged under Section 471, punishable under Section 468 of the Penal Code.
The indictment carries a jail term of up to seven years and also liable to a fine, upon conviction.
Sufri had allegedly used the fake invoice amounting RM4,900 dated December 30, 2014 to claim for the said activity at the MCMC office here on January 6, 2014.
The accused, who is still working, also faced an alternative charge of intending to deceive a principal by agent by submitting the invoice that contained false particulars to a MCMC’s agent who was an assistant executive to claim for the said activity at the same place and day from the MCMC’s director.
The judge fixed the same date to re-mention the case and released Sufri, who was represented by Abdul Fikry, on a bail of RM10,000 with RM4,000 deposit for each of the charges with one local surety.
Sufri was also ordered to report to the MACC office once in two months and his passport be impounded by court if any.