IPOH, Jan 14 — A former Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK) chairman from Tanjung Malim claimed trial today at the Sessions Court here to three charges of criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving RM350,000.
Zulkifle Othman, 58, who is also the village chief for Kampung Lambak, Cabang Lima and Lubuk Salak, pleaded not guilty when the three charges were read out to him before judge S. Indra Nehru.
On the first count, Zulkifle was alleged to have fraudulently withdrawn RM50,000 for his own usage from the sum that was entrusted to him to build a mosque in Kampung Kubu, Tanjung Malim.
The offence was allegedly committed at Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad in Tanjung Malim on March 21, 2017.
On the second and third counts, he was alleged to have fraudulently transferred RM200,000 and RM106,000 respectively, from the sum to a bank account belonging to Jati Gemilang Resources for his own use.
He was accused of committing the second and third offences at Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad in Tanjung Malim on March 21, 2017 and May 14, 2018 respectively.
All three charges were framed under Section 409 of the Penal Code for CBT, which provides for imprisonment of up to 20 years, whipping and a fine upon conviction.
Earlier, deputy public prosecutor from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Nurul Wahida Jalaluddin requested bail to be set at RM50,000 for all three charges and requested Zulkifle to report to the MACC office in Teluk Intan on the first week of every month until the case is over.
Lawyer Hisham Nazir, who represented Zulkifle, asked for bail to be lowered as his client is unemployed and caring for his wife.
Indra then set bail at RM30,000 for all three charges with one surety and ordered Zulkifle to report to the MACC as requested by the deputy public prosecutor.
The court fixed February 19 for mention.
