GEORGE TOWN: A 52-year-old operations manager claimed trial in the Sessions Court here on Thursday (Nov 5) to a charge of cheating a company manager of RM13,000 over a purported reduction in Customs duties on cosmetic products.
Zul Akmal AB Suhukor entered a plea of not guilty after the charge was read to him before Sessions judge Irwan Suainbon.
He was accused of deceiving Muhamad Aliff Syafi Irtiza, the manager of another company, into transferring RM13,000 to a bank account belonging to Zul Akmal's firm.
According to the charge sheet, Zul Akmal allegedly led Aliff Syafi to believe that the money would be paid to the Royal Malaysian Customs Department to reduce the tax on imported cosmetic products.
The alleged offence took place between August and September 2024 at a logistics company office on Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah here.
The prosecution alleged that Aliff Syafi would not have transferred the money had he not been deceived.
Zul Akmal was charged under Section 415(b) of the Penal Code, punishable under Section 417.
If convicted, he faces imprisonment of up to five years, a fine, or both.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) deputy public prosecutor Nurul Atikah Ab Rashid proposed bail of RM30,000 and requested that the accused surrender his passport until the case concludes.
Defence counsel K. Mahendran appealed for lower bail, saying his client earns only RM2,500 a month and is the sole breadwinner as his wife is unemployed.
He also told the court that Zul Akmal suffered from high blood pressure.
Mahendran added that his client had been reporting to the MACC every month since 2024.
Judge Irwan allowed bail at RM10,000 with one surety and ordered Zul Akmal to surrender his passport until disposal of the case.
The court fixed Dec 14 for next mention.
