KUALA LUMPUR: Two lawyers were today slapped with 21 charges of criminal breach of trust, involving some RM1.3million.
Wheelchair-bound Mohd Haidar@Hasmayuyudin Mohd Hashim, 46, and Ahmad Ansor Muhd Rivai Batubara, 45, were handed 15 and six charges, respectively – some jointly, and others separately.
The business partners claimed trial to committing the offences at their legal firm Mohd Haidar & Co, No 2-2, Tower 3, Bangsar Avenue 3, Jalan Kerinchi, between January 2016 and December 2016.
The money, which was payments from the lawyers' clients for property transactions, was allegedly used by both the accused for their personal use.
Deputy public prosecutors Malini Anne Satha Sivam and Norashikin Ibrahim did not offer bail and told the court that the accused are flight risks, the offences committed were serious, and they might tamper with the prosecution’s witnesses because the witnesses are known to them.
Ansor, in mitigating for a reasonable bail amount for himself and Mohd Haidar said they ran the legal firm together and are in dire straits because they are unemployed and do not have other sources of income.
"My friend Mohd Haidar was paralysed after a stroke last June. We were charged previously and I had to pay RM10,000 for my bail while Mohd Haidar has paid RM50,000.
"We are not flight risk, (we) have surrendered our passports to the court and have been cooperative with the police."
Judge Syed Faisal Syed Amir set bail at RM8,000 with one surety for each of the accused and fixed Aug 18, Sept 4, and Sept 27, for case mention.
He also told Mohd Haidar and Ansor to get legal representation as trial dates will be fixed during the case mention.
On July 24, the men were charged at the Sessions Court for criminal breach of trust involving RM402,500 of their clients’ money, which was also meant for a property transactions.
While Mohd Haidar turned up in court and claimed trial, Ansor, failed to show up at court, which resulted in the court issuing a warrant of arrest.
However, he showed up the next day (July 25) at the Sessions Court, and claimed trial to the charge.
Court, crime, criminal breach trust, CBT, Mohd Haidar Hasmayuyudin Mohd Hashim, Ahmad Ansor Muhd Rivai Batubara