Editor’s note: Total sum of money involved amended, and not as previously stated.
By Dorcas Ting
KUCHING, Oct 1: A director, secretary and treasurer of Koperasi Automobil Kuching Sarawak Berhad (ATOM) claimed trial to charges of committing criminal breach of trust involving a total of RM3,402,376.97 million in two different Sessions Courts.
The three accused Mohamad Ariffin Han, 47, Mohammad Ali Han @ Dalahan, 54, and Nur Najiha Abdullah, pleaded not guilty to the charges framed against them.
They were charged under Section 409 of the Penal Code, read with Section 34 of the same code, which provides for an imprisonment term between two and twenty years and whipping, and shall also be liable to fine.
Mohamad Ariffin and Mohammad Ali as the director and secretary of ATOM respectively, were charged with committing criminal breach of trust involving RM1,659,024.77, in their capacity entrusted with dominion over Malaysian government funds for ATOM and TUKAR programmes.
Sessions Court Judge Dayang Ellyn Narisa Abang Ahmad fixed November 1 for pre-trial case management and allowed both accused to be released on court bail of RM30,000 and two local sureties, and their passports to be pounded to Court until the case is solved.
Mohammad Ali was also charged with committing criminal breach of trust in respect of RM67,552.20 of the said fund, between May 2, 2015 and June 17, 2015, at the Public Bank Stutong Branch.
Sessions Court Judge Marutin Pagan fixed November 1 for pre-trial case management and allowed the accused bail of RM20,000 with two local sureties with permanent address.
Mohamad Ariffin, Mohammad Ali, and Nur Najiha were jointly charged with two charges. For the first, they as ATOM’s director, secretary and treasurer respectively were charged with committing criminal breach of trust in respect of RM700,000 in government funds, on March 18 and 19, 2013, at the Public Bank Stutong Branch.
They were also jointly charged with committing criminal breach of trust in respect of RM13,800 of the said funds for ATOM and TUKAR programmes, on August 25, 2015 at the Public Bank Stutong Branch.
Sessions Court Judge Dayang Ellyn Narisa fixed November 1 for pre-trial case management and allowed the accused to be released on court bail of RM30,000 and two local sureties.
Mohammad Ali and Nur Najiha were jointly charged with two charges. For the first, they were charged with committing criminal breach of trust involving RM880,000.00 in government funds for ATOM and TUKAR programmes on May 20, 2015 and July 7, 2015, at the Public Bank Stutong Branch.
For the second, they were charged with committing criminal breach of trust involving RM82,000 in government funds for ATOM and TUKAR programmes on Feburary 15, 2017 and May 18, 3017, at the Public Bank Stutong Branch.
Sessions Court Judge Marutin fixed November 1 for pre-trial case management of this case and allowed bail of RM20,000 with two local sureties with permanent address.
DPP Danial Ilham Kamaruddin prosecuted while the three accused were represented by counsels Daren Ling, Osman Ibrahim and Fadzillah Osman Ibrahim.
Friends and family members of the accused were also present in court today. However, certain members of the group were hostile towards photographers from the media, and a fight almost broke out. — DayakDaily
