SHAH ALAM: A former Area Farmers Organisation marketing manager today claimed trial in the Sessions Court here on 27 charges of using forged documents involving oil palm purchases worth more than RM500,000.
Airulnizam Island, 44, who held the position at Bernam Jaya PPK in Sabak Bernam pleaded not guilty to all 27 charges after they were read out before Sessions Court Judge Datuk Mohd Nasir Nordin on Monday (Sept 21).
According to the charges, he had dishonestly used documents as genuine, namely purchase invoices issued by TRC Sawit Sdn Bhd to Bernam Jaya Farmers Organisation, involving transactions totalling RM540,238.38 between January 2020 and December 2022.
The offences were allegedly committed at Bernam Jaya, Lot PT 608, Simpang 4, Bagan Nakhoda Omar, Sabak Bernam.
The accused, who is also a civil servant with a government agency in Penang, was charged under Section 471 of the Penal Code, punishable under Section 465 of the same law by up to two years' imprisonment, a fine, or both.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) prosecuting officer Mohd Alimi Mustapha proposed bail of RM50,000, with additional conditions requiring the accused to surrender his passport, report to the nearest MACC office and refrain from contacting prosecution witnesses.
Defence counsel Hafiz Norkhan, representing the accused, urged the court to consider a minimum bail of about RM15,000.
"The accused has a wife and three children aged 16, 15 and eight. I was also informed that the accused's wife has only recently been diagnosed with cerebral palsy.
"The accused also appeared voluntarily in court and has co-operated throughout the investigation," he said.
The court subsequently set bail at RM20,000 and allowed all the additional conditions, fixing Nov 3 for mention. – Bernama
