SEREMBAN: A 50-year-old government administrative assistant has pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court to 77 charges of corruption and filing false claims amounting to about RM416,000.
Sharudin Ibrahim, who works in the finance unit of the Jelebu Health Department, entered the plea after the charges were read before Judge N. Kanageswari.
For the first 15 charges, Sharudin is alleged to have endorsed payments to his wife's company for services such as maintenance and rental of laptops and desktops, food catering, boat and houseboat rental, PA system rental, purchase of souvenirs and prizes, and printing of pamphlets.
He is accused of committing these offences at his workplace between October 2022 and August 2023.
Sharudin was charged under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, which is punishable under Section 24(1) with a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine of five times the bribe amount involved or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
For the remaining 62 charges, he is alleged to have submitted falsified documents to claim payments for purchases or services that were never carried out.
These include claims for catering services for internal and external programmes, printing of educational brochures, health pamphlets, guidebooks, buntings and banners, maintenance and recalibration of medical equipment, related equipment, and souvenirs.
Sharudin is said to have committed these offences between Oct 2022 and June 2023.
He was charged under Section 18 of the MACC Act, punishable under Section 24(2) of the same Act.
Deputy public prosecutor Fatin Nur Athirah Zainuddin told the court the prosecution was offering bail of RM3,000 with one surety for 75 charges and another RM10,000 for two charges, totalling RM235,000.
She also requested that the accused surrender his passport and report to the MACC monthly until the case is disposed of.
Defence lawyer Muhammad Irham Redzuan appealed for a lower bail, stating that the accused is on a year's unpaid leave and must also support his wife, who earns only RM1,500 working at an eatery, and three children.
He added that Sharudin has cooperated with the MACC whenever called in for questioning.
Judge Kanageswari set bail at RM40,000 for all charges and allowed the prosecution’s other applications. The case is fixed for mention and submission of documents on Dec 8.
