EX-COMPANY DIRECTOR CHARGED WITH SUBMITTING ALMOST RM1 MLN OF FALSE CLAIMS

KUALA LUMPUR, July 25 (Bernama) -- A former director of a meat importing company pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here today, to five charges of submitting false claims for a financing facility to purchase merchandise amounting to nearly RM1 million, five years ago.

Shamsuri Mohd Yusof, 52, was charged as a director of ZS Armin Sdn Bhd by colluding with the company's account executive, Mohd Sazali Zainal, by providing false documents, namely five invoices from Smart F.V Marketing Sdn Bhd totaling RM998,600.

The documents were used to claim the Trade Working Capital Financing-i financing facility for the purchase of merchandise from Smart F.V to the agent of Agrobank Berhad, when there was no purchase from the company involved.

The offence was allegedly committed at Menara Agrobank, Leboh Pasar Besar here, on Sept 12, 2019, under Section 28 (1)(c) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, read together with Section 18 of MACC Act 2009 and punishable under Section 24 (2) of the same act.

The section provides for a maximum prison sentence of 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount or value of the bribe, or RM10,000 whichever is higher, upon conviction.

The father of six children also pleaded not guilty to five charges of abetting with Mohd Sazali using false documents, namely five Smart F.V company invoices totaling RM998,600 for the Trade Working Capital Financing-i financing facility claim from Agrobank Berhad.

The offence was allegedly committed on the same date and location, under Section 109 of the Penal Code, read with Section 471 of the Penal Code and is punishable under Section 465 of the same act, which faces two years imprisonment or a fine or both, if convicted.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad Feisal Mohd Azmi asked for bail of RM200,000 with one surety and additional conditions for the accused to report to the MACC office, Putrajaya once a month and his passport to be surrendered to the court until the case is completed.

Lawyer Zharif Nizamuddin represented the accused, applied for RM20,000 bail on the grounds that Shamsuri, who currently runs a chicken business, supports his wife, six children and mother who has diabetes.

Zharif also objected to the passport being handed over to the court because his client was not a flight risk.

Judge Azura Alwi set the case to be mentioned again on Oct 15 and allowed the accused to be bailed at RM80,000 with one surety and ordered the passport to be handed over to the court until the case is over.

-- BERNAMA