KUALA LUMPUR: The former Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) chief operating officer (COO), who has been charged with accepting payment for house renovation costs, was again brought before the Sessions Court on a similar charge involving renovation costs of RM8,882.77 for a house nine years ago.
Datuk Adi Azuan Abdul Ghani, 56, pleaded not guilty after the charge was read out before judge Suzana Hussin yesterday.
Adi Azuan, who was then a public servant as TH COO, was charged with accepting for himself something of value, namely renovation costs amounting to RM8,882.77 for a house in Jalan Tanjung SD 13/4, Bandar Sri Damansara, from AG Reka Sdn Bhd director Thamsulazri Ismail, whom he had dealings with.
He was alleged to have committed the offence at the residence on March 7, 2017.
Adi Azuan was charged under Section 165 of the Penal Code, which provides for a maximum two-year jail term or a fine or both upon conviction, Bernama reported.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) deputy public prosecutor Irna Julieza Maaras informed the court that the accused had been charged at the Shah Alam Sessions Court on Thursday under a similar section, and the prosecution requested that the RM50,000 bail and bail conditions imposed by that court be applied to this case.
On Thursday, Adi Azuan pleaded not guilty at the Shah Alam Sessions Court to three charges of accepting something of value, namely renovation costs for three houses amounting to RM302,499.27.
Following the public disclosure of the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) report on the management and operations of TH, seven individuals have been charged in court as of today.
They include former Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom, former TH chairman Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim, former THP Bina Sdn Bhd Security and Health manager Nasahruddin Ahmad and Alam Maritim Resources Bhd group managing director and group chief executive officer Datuk Azmi Ahmad.
The TH RCI report was made public on July 29, documenting various weaknesses in TH’s management and operations.
