SEREMBAN, Aug 19 — A chief financial officer (CFO) of a private university in Nilai pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here today to allegedly committing criminal breach of trust involving RM6.56 million in company funds between September 2025 and April this year.

Noraini Aripin, 55, entered the plea after the charge was read out to her before Judge Datin M. Kunasundary Marimuthu.

The charge alleges that Noraini, who was entrusted with RM6,557,720, misused the funds by making payments for purposes other than the payment of ad valorem duty to the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN).

The offence is alleged to have taken place at the university’s office between September 2025 and April this year.

She was charged under Section 409 of the Penal Code (Act 574), which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, whipping, and a fine upon conviction.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Syairah Aqilah Khalil sought bail of RM100,000 with two sureties, with the accused also required to surrender her passport to the court and report to the Negeri Sembilan Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office each month.

However, lawyer Kelvin Ong requested that bail be reduced to RM50,000, citing his client’s status as a mother of five, her ongoing treatment for stage-three breast cancer at a private hospital and her monthly income of RM15,000.

Bail was later set at RM80,000 with two sureties, with the judge also granting all the prosecution’s requests.

The court set September 21 for the next mention of the case. — Bernama