MELAKA, Aug 13 — A lawyer pleaded not guilty in the Ayer Keroh Sessions Court here today to two counts of criminal breach of trust (CBT) in property deals involving more than RM1.2 million in 2016 and 2020.

Kingsley Wamback, 40, made the plea before judge Maziah Joary Tajudin.

On the first count, Wamback, a lawyer at Messrs Kingsley & Co, was charged with committing the offence by using  RM945,950, which for the purchase of three land lots in Paya Rumput that was paid through a Public Bank account belonging to the legal firm, for his own personal use.

The offence was allegedly committed at the legal firm at Taman Kerjasama Bukit Beruang, Melaka, between July 1 and 31, 2016.

He was also charged with committing a similar offence with RM340,000 from the sale of a house belonging to Lee Hoon Luan Jenny, 81, at the branch office of his legal firm in Taman Muzaffar Heights, Melaka, between July 13 to October 8 last year.

Both the charges were framed under Section 409 of the Penal Code, which provides an imprisonment for up to 20 years and whipping, and is liable with fine, if found guilty.

The court allowed him bail of RM30,000 for the first charge and RM20,000 on the second charge, and set September 20 for mention. — Bernama