Ex-director claims trial to 64 counts of cheating

IPOH: A former company director claimed trial at a Sessions Court here to 64 counts of misappropriation of funds, forging cheques and using the forged cheques amounting to more than RM10mil. Ooi Yee Ling, 46, pleaded not guilty to all the charges and claimed trial before judge Ainul Shahrin Mohamad.

Ooi was charged under Sections 403, 467 and 471/467 of the Penal Code.

In the same court yesterday, she was jointly charged with the company’s former consultant Yee Yat Kai, 64, with four charges of falsifying documents which were valuable collateral under the name of one Chan Chee Seng in relation to compensation payments of RM6mil and 45% shares in the company Cergas Amani Bhd to be put under her name.

For this, both Ooi and Yee were charged under Sections 467 and 471/467 of the Penal Code, to which both of them pleaded not guilty.

All the offences (including the jointly charged ones) were allegedly carried out between Nov 17, 2017, and Feb 8, 2018, at several banks within the city, as well as in the company’s premises

According to the charge sheet for the two offences carried out under Section 403, Ooi is charged with misusing property for herself, where she had used cheques belonging to Chan for her own use.

The offence under Section 403 carries a minimum jail term of six months and a maximum of five years with whipping, and is punishable by a fine, if convicted.

Under Sections 467 and 471/467, Ooi had 62 charges for forging the cheques belonging to Chan as well as using the forged cheques as genuine ones.

The offence carries a jail sentence of up to 20 years and a fine, upon conviction.

Deputy public prosecutor Faten Hadni Khairuddin requested the court to set bail at RM800,000 in total for all the 64 charges, as well for the charges that were jointly read as well.

In mitigation, lawyer Kenzaly Goik said Ooi, who runs a business selling clothes, had no fixed income and her business was affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

He added that Yee, an insurance agent, also did not have a fixed income and suffered from hypertension.

“Thus, I am requesting a lower bail,” Goik said.

Ainul Shahrin fixed bail for Ooi at RM60,000 in total for all charges while the bail for Yee was fixed at RM20,000.

The next mention date is set for Aug 19.

Both accused posted bail.