TAIPING: A real estate company director has been charged in the Sessions Court here on Friday (Jan 24) with five counts of criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving company funds worth RM551,130.
Lee Hyen Sip @ Simon, 51, pleaded not guilty to the charges under Section 409 of the Penal Code before Sessions Court Judge Nabisha Ibrahim on Friday (Jan 24).
According to the charge sheet, Lee is accused of committing the offence on five occasions, namely Nov 12, 2020; March 7, 2022; Aug 26, 2022; Sept 27, 2023; and Sept 24, 2024; at a Maybank branch in Kamunting.
The accused, as an agent director of Pasti Tunai Jaya Sdn Bhd, who was entrusted with the company's funds in its bank account, is alleged to have dishonestly committed the offence by misusing the company's funds.
The offence was committed through the company's cheque, which was used to transfer funds to accounts belonging to Maju Bosku Sdn Bhd, Aneka Mega Sdn Bhd and Low Sher Huey and to his own account.
The accused also pleaded not guilty to five optional charges for the same act under Section 403 of the Penal Code which provides for a prison sentence of not less than six months and not more than five years with whipping, and may be fined, if convicted.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Muhd Fahmi Kamaluddin requested for bail of RM10,000 for each charge.
The court then set bail at RM50,000 for the five charges with one surety.
The court also set Feb 17 for full submission of the documents.
Lawyers Rodzim Zaimy Abdul Halim and Jeyakumar Palakrishnar appeared for the accused, while Privesh Paul Singh from Daljit Singh Partnership appeared as the observer (from the complainant's side).
Earlier, it was reported that a man with a Datuk title had been remanded at a Taiping Magistrate's Court on Jan 21 for allegedly committing CBT.
It is learnt that the suspect is a director of multiple community credit companies in Taiping and was entrusted by his business partners to manage these.
The suspect is also said to have held various important positions in the community, including schools and houses of worship.