A RELIGIOUS preacher and social media influencer and the secretary of the NGO he chaired have pleaded not guilty to charges linked to the alleged misuse of RM13.85 million in organisational funds.
Abdullah Abdol Razak, 40, pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court in Seremban on Wednesday to 34 counts of criminal breach of trust involving RM13,847,535.89 belonging to Pertubuhan Rezeki Infaq Malaysia (PRIM), as well as 17 money laundering charges involving RM1.56 million.
The 51 charges took more than an hour to be read before Judge Datin M Kunasundary.
As PRIM chairman, Abdullah was alleged to have been entrusted with control of the organisation's funds but dishonestly disposed of the money in breach of Clause 10 of its constitution.
The prosecution alleged that he authorised payments into several bank accounts, including his own, without approval from PRIM's general meeting.
The alleged criminal breach of trust offences were committed between February 28, 2023, and March 31, 2026, at a bank in the Seremban district.
The charges were brought under Section 409 of the Penal Code, which carries a prison term of between two and 20 years, whipping and a fine upon conviction.
In the money laundering charges, Abdullah was accused of transferring RM1.56 million, alleged to be proceeds of unlawful activities, from several bank accounts, including his own, into other accounts for the purchase of gold.
The alleged offences took place between May 18, 2024, and February 24, 2026, at the same location.
He was charged under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
A conviction carries up to 15 years' imprisonment and a fine of not less than five times the value of the alleged unlawful proceeds or RM5 million, whichever is higher.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Ahmad Akram Gharib told the court that the offences were non-bailable but proposed RM1 million bail if bail was granted, with two Malaysian sureties who were not family members.
Defence lawyer Azrul Zulkifli Stork sought a lower amount, telling the court that Abdullah was married with 11 children aged between four and 15, while also owning a restaurant and earning an uncertain income as an influencer.
He argued that RM1 million was excessive, particularly as all of Abdullah's bank accounts had been frozen.
The court granted RM700,000 bail, comprising RM400,000 in secured bail and RM300,000 unsecured, with two Malaysian sureties aged above 21.
Abdullah was also ordered to surrender his passport and barred from interfering with prosecution witnesses directly or through third parties.
Meanwhile, PRIM secretary Noor Sahira Abdullah, 30, also pleaded not guilty to a charge of abetting Abdullah in the alleged criminal breach of trust involving the RM13.85 million.
She was accused of intentionally assisting Abdullah in transferring the funds through online banking to several accounts without authorisation from PRIM's general meeting.
The alleged offence was committed between April 24, 2023, and March 28, 2026.
She was charged under Section 109 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 409.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Syairah Aqilah Khalil proposed RM250,000 bail with two Malaysian sureties.
Azrul sought a reduction to RM150,000, citing Noor Sahira's five-month-old child and her responsibility for her unwell parents.
The court fixed bail at RM200,000 with two local sureties aged above 21, subject to conditions similar to those imposed on Abdullah.
Both cases will next be mentioned on Sept 28. - August 26, 2026