By DayakDaily Team
MIRI, June 16: A former financial clerk from the Miri Social Welfare Department (JKM) has pleaded not guilty at the Miri Sessions Court to six charges of money laundering involving RM1.19 million.
According to TVS, the plea was recorded after all charges were read and explained before Sessions Court Judge Leo Saga.
The prosecution was conducted by Deputy Public Prosecutor Nurul Wahida Jalaluddin from the Anti-Money Laundering Unit (AMLA).
According to the charges, the former clerk is alleged to have committed offences under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLATFPUAA 2001).
The case is believed to be linked to investigations into the disappearance of welfare aid funds amounting to RM1,197,700 belonging to the Miri JKM division between February 2022 and January 2023.
He is alleged to have committed the offences on Feb 17, 2022, at the Miri JKM office while entrusted with control over the funds.
Court documents stated that the misappropriation came to light after a welfare officer conducted checks following complaints from aid recipients who had not received their payments in December 2022.
Investigations found that the accused allegedly exploited his access and position to register fictitious aid recipients into the department’s payment system.
He is also alleged to have inserted his own personal details and bank account number as a beneficiary in the bulk payment list, resulting in total losses of RM1.19 million to the department.
After the plea was recorded, the prosecution requested a new date for case management (PTCM) for the submission of documents under Section 51A of the Criminal Procedure Code.
The defence applied for reasonable bail, citing that the accused posed no flight risk and was suffering from several health conditions, including hypertension, diabetes, gout and high cholesterol.
The court allowed bail at RM100,000 with a deposit of RM18,000 and two local sureties with fixed addresses in Miri.
As additional conditions, the accused was ordered to surrender his passport to the court until the case is concluded.
The court fixed July 14, 2026, for mention and further case management. — DayakDaily
