JOHOR BAHRU, April 7 —A former sales executive officer of a property company claimed trial in the Sessions Court here today to five counts of criminal breach of trust involving more than RM1 million.

Rafidah Abdul Hamid, 48, pleaded not guilty after the charges were read out before Judge Datuk Che Wan Zaidi Che Wan Ibrahim.

According to the charge sheet, the accused is charged with committing criminal breach of trust by fraudulently using money, amounting to between RM73,000 and RM317,610, for her own benefit.

The accused, who is a single mother of three children, is charged with committing the act on the first floor of a building in Jalan Ibrahim here between May 30, 2022 and October 15 last year.

She was charged under Section 408 of the Penal Code for criminal breach of trust, which provides for a one-year to 14-year jail term with whipping and a fine upon conviction.

The prosecution was conducted by Deputy Public Prosecutor Siti Fatimah Mamu. while the accused unrepresented.

Siti Fatimah  proposed to the court a bail of RM8,000 for each charge, with one surety and the surrender of the accused’s international passport.

Che Wan Zaidi then set a RM40,000 bail for all charges, with the additional conditions of a single surety for the accused, the surrender of her international passport and reporting to the nearest police station every month. In addition, the accused is also refrained from harassing witnesses.

The court then set May 6 for mention.

Based on the facts of the case, a manager of the company involved filed a police report on March 31 after receiving a call from a law firm regarding a property sale and purchase agreement involving two individuals.

The company’s internal review found that there were no official records regarding the sale and purchase transaction recorded in its system or accounts.

An internal probe also found that the accused, who has been serving in her role since 2021, was believed to have received an undisclosed sum of money from a buyer in January 2024. However, the money was not handed over to the accounts department or deposited into the company’s official account.

The accused is also alleged to have forged the signatures of the company officers in the sale and purchase agreement documents prepared by the law firm as a means to complete the transaction.

In addition, the accused is also believed to have used the same ruse to receive money from another individual in the same year.

The company was only made aware of the matter after receiving inquiries from the legal department before a police report was lodged for further action.