KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 4 — The Sessions Court was told today that some of the payment vouchers to the National Sports Council (NSC) had been certified (signed) by the former secretary at the Finance Division of the Youth and Sports Ministry Otman Arsahd, who was indicted on 32 counts of misuse of position and submitting false claims involving RM38.4 million, four years ago.

This was disclosed by Ernie Roslan, an assistant accountant (Audit

Management), Accountant-General’s Department, during her testimony at the trial of Otman. 

She said all the payment vouchers issued by the ministry was prepared by her as she was then serving as an assistant accountant in the Finance Division of the Sports Ministry, but was signed by the accused. 

Ernie, who is the fourth prosecution witness, said this when questioned by deputy public prosecutor Abdul Rashid Sulaiman, and in her testimony, said that payment vouchers were made to fund sports programmes organised by NSC, among others football development programmes.

In today’s proceedings,  the prosecution also took five hours to mark the the respective payment vouchers.

Otman allegedly committed the offences at the Office of the National Sports Council, National Sports Complex in Bukit Jalil, here, between Feb 28, 2012, and Nov 18, 2015.

On the 15 counts of abusing his position, Otman was charged with instructing the NSC director-general to make a payment of RM2,161,000 to the company Dial Ex Sdn Bhd, owned by his two children, for various programmes under the ministry including the Futsal programme 2012 and a Formula One (F1) side programme in 2013.

On the 17 counts of submitting false claims, Otman was charged with giving a letter of payment for RM36,310,400 through the ministry’s account to NSC’s Finance Division director, Abdul Rashid Yaakub, for various programmes under the ministry to three companies owned by his friends.

Otman was represented by counsel Zaid Roslan. 

The hearing before Judge Azura Alwi will continue on Dec 5.  — Bernama