KUALA TERENGGANU, A government retiree pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here today to 13 counts of using false documents and misappropriating funds belonging to a union amounting to RM140,867.79, four years ago.

Jafri Wahab, 58, a former assistant environmental health officer at the Kuala Terengganu City Council (MBKT), made the plea before judge Mohd Azhar Othman.

He was charged with two counts of using bank account statement documents under the name of the Terengganu branch of the Peninsular Malaysia Amalgamated National Union Local Authorities Employees (Anulae) between 2019 and 2020, involving a sum of RM111,667.79, which he allegedly knew to be false.

The accused was alleged to have committed the offence at MBKT on June 28, 2020.

The charges, framed under Section 471 of the Penal Code and punishable under Section 465 of the same Act, provide for a maximum jail term of two years, a fine, or both, upon conviction.

Jafri was also charged with 11 counts of misappropriating RM29,200 belonging to
Tabung Kebajikan Anulae of the Terengganu branch for his personal use while serving as the union’s treasurer.

The offences, involving transactions ranging from RM200 to RM6,000, were allegedly committed between Jan 15 and July 23, 2020 at a bank here.

The charges under Section 403 of the Penal Code provide for imprisonment of up to five years and with whipping, and liable to a fine, if convicted.

The court set bail at RM15,000 with one surety and ordered the accused to report to the nearest Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office every month and and to not disturb the witnesses in the case.

MACC deputy public prosecutor Tengku Nurul Haziqah Tuan Yacob appeared for the prosecution, while the accused was represented by lawyer Mohd Asaari Salleh.

The court fixed Sept 25 for mention of the case.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency