MELAKA: A former non-governmental organisation (NGO) chairman claimed trial at the Sessions Court in Ayer Keroh here to six charges relating to alleged misappropriation of humanitarian mission funds amounting to RM576,000.
Mohd Hakim Mohd Nor, 39, who was the chairman of Pertubuhan Kebajikan Serantau Muslim, pleaded not guilty to all six charges when they were read out to him before judge Elesabet Paya Wan on Tuesday (Jan 13).
He is accused of dishonestly misusing the organisation’s property, namely donation funds collected for humanitarian missions carried out in cooperation with NGOs in Myanmar, Yemen, Syria and Palestine, in his capacity as chairman at the time.
The charges involve alleged misappropriation of RM451,000 for the first count, RM12,000 for the second, RM80,000 for the third, RM4,000 for the fourth, RM19,995.40 for the fifth, and RM10,000 for the sixth.
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The offences were allegedly committed between June 2019 and May 2021 at a bank branch in Merlimau here.
The charges are framed under Section 403 of the Penal Code, which provides for a jail term of between six months and five years, caning and a fine upon conviction.
The court granted bail of RM35,000 with one surety and fixed March 13 as the next mention date.
On Monday (Jan 12), Hakim pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court in Kuala Lumpur to a charge of dishonestly misappropriating RM207,000 in funds meant for humanitarian missions in Palestine and several other countries.
In that case, he is alleged to have misused the funds intended for foreign humanitarian missions conducted in cooperation with NGOs in Myanmar, Yemen, Syria and Palestine at a bank in Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin on Dec 27, 2019.
The charge in Kuala Lumpur was also brought under Section 403 of the Penal Code.
