IPOH: An oil palm mill manager based in South Africa has been charged here with cheating his former employer, a multinational company, in 2024.
TR Logeswaran, 39, claimed trial after the charge under Section 417 of the Penal Code was read to him before Magistrate Norizan Riduan on Wednesday (July 8).
He is accused of making a false declaration of crude palm oil totalling 741.6 tonnes with the intention to deceive the multinational here between March 14 and June 21, 2024.
Deputy public prosecutor Zarris Sofea Zainudin requested bail to be set at RM10,000 with two sureties who are Logeswaran's family members.
She also asked that the accused be ordered to surrender his passport to the court and report to the nearest police station every month until the case concludes.
Lawyer Kiranjeet Kaur Sidhu said his client is unable to surrender his passport and report to the police monthly because he works overseas.
Kiranjeet also said the accused is married and has two children, aged two and five, with health issues.
"We appeal to the court not to impound his passport as it may result in him being unemployed, causing serious problems.
"He needs the job to cover his children's healthcare, which costs about RM2,500 a month," she said, adding that Logeswaran also has two ageing parents to look after.
"The eldest child has autism while the younger child, who was born prematurely, has various health issues," she added.
Kiranjeet said Logeswaran is not a flight risk and has returned to Malaysia willingly to facilitate police investigations.
"He returned on Dec 16, 2024, as well as yesterday after being summoned by the police (who sought) additional information, only for him to be charged," she said, adding that the accused is willing to pay a high bail so that he can keep his passport.
"A bail should not be a punishment, and it is only to ensure his attendance. He will attend the trial," she added.
Magistrate Norizan set bail at RM10,000 with two sureties who are the accused's relatives.
She also denied the prosecution's request for Logeswaran to surrender his passport and report regularly to the police.
Aug 6 was then set for case mention and submission of documents.
