MELAKA: A former senior officer with the Melaka Chief Minister's Department claimed trial at the Sessions Court in Ayer Keroh here to seven charges involving criminal breach of trust and cheating amounting to more than RM60,000.
D. Puhnitha Devi, 43, a former principal assistant secretary of the Corporate Communications Division, entered the plea before Judge Elesabet Paya Wan after all charges were read to her on Tuesday (June 23).
For three charges, the accused allegedly misappropriated funds belonging to the Melaka Administrative and Diplomatic Officers Association (PTD) as well as contributions collected from workers involved in the 2024 Melaka-level Madani Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration.
The alleged offences involved a total of RM56,600 and were said to have been committed on March 24 and April 7, 2022, at Bank Islam's Ayer Keroh branch here.
The charges were framed under Section 403 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum jail term of five years, whipping and a fine upon conviction.
The accused also faces four counts of cheating three individuals, including two Melaka executive councillors, in connection with monetary contributions allegedly collected for a Corporate Communications Division family day and annual work target programme that was never held.
According to the charge sheets, the alleged deception induced the victims to hand over money for the purported programmes.
The charges were framed under Section 420 of the Penal Code, which provides for a prison sentence of up to 10 years, whipping and a fine if convicted.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) deputy public prosecutor Sharina Farhana Nor Sa'ari proposed bail of RM30,000 with one surety, together with additional conditions requiring the accused to report to the MACC office once a month and surrender her passport to the court pending the disposal of the case.
Lawyer Intan Nur Alia Nodzri, representing the accused, appealed for a lower bail amount, informing the court that her client had been unemployed for the past year while caring for her elderly parents and was dependent on financial assistance from her younger brother.
The court allowed the accused bail of RM15,000 with one surety and imposed the additional conditions sought by the prosecution.
The case has been fixed for re-mention on Aug 3.
