TAWAU – A headmistress and a company manager have claimed trial to committing criminal breach of trust (CBT) and abetting.
Aminah Pilie, 52, and JS Enterprise company manager Mohammad Noorazrin Jufrey, 27, made the plea separately before Sessions Court Judge Abu Bakar Manat yesterday.
Both Aminah and Mohammad have two charges against them under Section 409 of the Penal Code for criminal breach of trust by a public servant or agent.
Aminah, as the headmistress of Sekolah Kebangsaan Kunak 2, had allegedly approved a total of RM2,000 being payment to JS Enterprise on February 14, 2018, and March 8, 2018, (RM1,000 on each occasion) for co-curriculum supplies, but there is no record of said supplies.
Mohammad has been charged for allegedly abetting Aminah’s crime.
The charges stated that the money was taken out from the school’s current account in Maybank’s Kunak branch.
The offence carries a jail term of between two and 20 years, whipping, and fine, upon conviction.
The court has set December 7 for mention and released the duo on RM10,000 bail with RM4,000 deposited in a local surety each.
The duo was ordered to report to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission once every two months, and their passports are under impound until the disposal of their case.
The case was prosecuted by Dzulkarnain Rousan Hasbi.
On Tuesday, in the same court, the head of administration and finance of Semporna Forestry Office pleaded not guilty to using her position to grant projects to her relatives’ companies, while her husband claimed trial to abetting the crime.
Asmawati Ariffin, 51, was charged with three counts under Section 23 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 for using her position for gratification, while her husband Singah @ Mohd Ngah Landi, 53, was slapped with two charges under Section (1)(b) of the same act for abetting the crime.
Asmawati is accused of using her position to select her niece’s company, her brother’s company and her husband’s sibling’s company to get contracts for construction and repair works in Semporna Forestry Office amounting to RM149,280, between January 19 and 27, 2016.
Singah was charged for allegedly abetting Asmawati in choosing companies belonging to her niece and Singah’s sibling for the same project amounting to RM99,360 at the same place and time.
If found guilty, Section 23 and Section 28(1)(b) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 carries a punishment of up to 20 years’ imprisonment as well as a fine of not less than five times the amount of money involved in the crime or RM10,000, whichever is higher.
The court set December 7 for mention and Asmawati and Singah were released on bail of RM10,000 with RM3,000 in a local surety, and RM15,000 with RM5,000 deposited in a local surety, respectively.
In another case, a 47-year-old man was fined RM5,000 and jailed three months for trying to bribe a police officer with RM2,000, hoping the cop would turn a blind eye to the contraband cigarettes he had in his car.
Tai Hon Sang pleaded guilty to trying to bribe Navin Jason A. Xavier at 1.55am on July 29, 2019, at the Jalan Kalabakan checkpoint.
Tai was punished under Section 214 of the Penal Code for offering money in consideration of screening offenders. –The Vibes, October 28, 2021