MELAKA: A 27-year-old army corporal claimed trial to 79 counts of making false claims amounting to RM50,238.10 at the sessions court here, today.
Musa Md Dawi nodded to indicate that he understood the long list of charges read to him – which took over half an hour – before entering “not guilty” pleas before judge Norma Ismail.
He was charged with 74 counts of misappropriation of property, which were travel allowance and annual leave payment claims under the Special Warfare Training Centre (PULPAK) allocation, by creating voucher payments under other soldiers' names. Thereafter, the payments were made to two of his bank accounts with CIMB and Maybank totalling RM46,281.10.
Musa was also charged with two counts of committing similar offences amounting to RM889.40, in which payment was made to his friend's Maybank account under the name “Mohd Ramdan Mohd Sani” on April 25 and June 29, last year.
He was also charged with three counts of committing similar offences amounting to RM3,067.60, in which the payment was made to his friend's Maybank account under the name “Anuar Bolhassan” on April 25, April 27 and April 28, last year.
He allegedly committed all the offences at PULPAK's budget office in Sungai Udang camp here, between Apr 25 and July 1 last year.
The offences, under Section 403 of the Penal Code, provides for a maximum jail sentence of five years, whipping and a fine.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) prosecution officer Ong Cheng Hian applied for RM2,000 bail for each of the charges (totalling RM158,000) in one surety.
But Musa, who was unrepresented, told the court that he is not able to afford such a large bail amount.
"I have to look after my parents and wife.
"I was also involved in an accident recently, and I have to get treatment for my leg," he said.
Judge Norma then set bail at RM50,000 in one surety, besides ordering the accused to report to the MACC office monthly.
She also set the mention date on June 19.