KUALA LUMPUR: Former navy chief Tan Sri Ahmad Ramli Mohd Nor pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court here to three charges of criminal breach of trust in connection with the littoral combat ship (LCS) scandal.
The 78-year-old former managing director of Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd (BNS) was charged on Tuesday (Aug 16) with approving payments of RM21.08mil in his capacity without the agreement of the company’s board of directors.
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According to the charge sheets, he was alleged to have approved RM13,541,140 to Setaria Holdings Limited's Singapore bank account without BNS board approval between July 26, 2010 and March 25, 2011.
In the second charge, he was alleged to have approved RM1,360,716 as payment to JSD Corporation Pte Ltd Singapore bank account between April 19, 2011 and May 4, 2011.
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In the third charge, Ahmad Ramli was alleged to have approved another payment of RM6,182,295 to Sousmarin Armada Ltd Singapore bank account between October 28, 2010 and November 22, 2010.
For all three offences, Ahmad Ramli was charged under Section 409 of the Penal Code for criminal breach of trust by a public servant.
The offence is punishable with a jail term of between two to 20 years and with whipping and also a fine upon conviction.
Judge Suzana Hussain granted bail at RM500,000 in one surety.
The court also ordered for Ahmad Ramli to surrender his passport to the court pending the disposal of the case.
Ahmad Ramli was represented by counsel Datuk Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin and Ahmad Akram Gharib prosecuted.
Ahmad Ramli was named navy chief in October 1996.
He retired in 1998 after serving in the Royal Malaysian Navy for 35 years.
The case has been set for mention on Nov 24.
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