JOHOR BARU: Three Immigration Department officers have been hauled to court over alleged counter-setting for passport entry and exit stamps, as well as criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving club funds.
Shamsul Hezzam Sudin, 50; Mohd Asrof Tukiman, 48; and Ruhaya Hamzah, 39, pleaded not guilty after the charges were read separately before Sessions Court judge Ahmad Kamal Arifin Ismail yesterday.
According to the charge sheet, Shamsul Hezzam, a senior Immigration officer, is accused of agreeing to receive RM8,000 in cash from Lim Yew Kuang, 56, in exchange for assisting with the endorsement of Malaysian entry and exit stamps without the physical presence of passport holders, which violated conditions under the Immigration Act 1959/63 (Act 155).
The alleged offence took place between July 7 and 8 last year at Bukit Saujana here.
Mohd Asrof, meanwhile, was charged with three counts of agreeing to receive RM6,490 as inducement for the same purpose. The offences were allegedly committed on May 21 and 25, and June 2 last year at a bank branch in Taman Seri Bahagia here.
Both were charged under Section 165 of the Penal Code, which carries a jail term of up to two years or a fine or both, upon conviction.
Separately, Ruhaya, who served as treasurer of the Kelab Kebajikan Rekreasi Inovasi dan Sukan at the Immigration Department’s Sultan Abu Bakar Complex in Tanjung Kupang, was charged with CBT involving RM61,300 in club funds.
According to the charge sheet, the single mother allegedly used the money for her own benefit between Jan 26 and Nov 15, 2023, at a bank branch in Kulai.
She was charged under Section 403 of the Penal Code for dishonest misappropriation of property, which carries not more than five years imprisonment, caning and a fine, if convicted.
Ahmad Kamal set bail at RM8,000 for Shamsul Hezzam and RM10,000 each for Mohd Asrof and Ruhaya, with one surety each.
All three accused posted bail.
