KUANTAN: Two account assistants attached to the Raub district Social Welfare office today claimed trial at the Sessions Court here for criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving RM74,000 two years ago.
The duo, Tengku Asraf Shah Tengku Yahya and Zuraini Abdul Rahim @ Abdul Rahman, both 39, claimed innocence when the charge was jointly read before Judge Datuk Ahmad Zamzani Mohd Zain.
They were jointly charged with committing the offence by misappropriating RM74,000 which belonged to the Raub district Social Welfare office's account.
The offences were committed at the Raub Welfare Department's office between June 22, 2020 and Feb 18 last year.
They were charged under Section 409 of the Penal Code, which provides an imprisonment for up to 20 years and whipping, and is liable to a fine, if found guilty.
Both the accused were also offered an alternative charge under Section 403 of the Penal Code where they could be jailed for not less than six months and not more than five years, with whipping and fine, upon conviction.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) prosecuting officer Kamariah Seman proposed RM10,000 bail with one surety for each occused.
Counsel Shahidah Muslimah Roslan, who was representing Tengku Asraf Shah, pressed for a lower bail saying her client, who supported his wife and two children was also looking after his elderly parents.
"My client earns about RM2,500 a month and after deductions, his take home salary is about RM800. He managed to raise about RM3,000.....the high bail amount should not be a punishment as we are aware that a person is innocent until proven guilty," she said, adding her client is prepared to adhere to other additional conditions including reporting to the MACC office.
Meanwhile Zuraini, who was not represented, told the court that her husband works as a lorry attendant and she has to support her school-going children.
"I have to regularly seek medical treatment from the hospital. I appeal to the court to lower the bail amount to RM1,000 as I can only afford to pay that much," she said.
Ahmad Zamzani set RM5,000 bail for each accused with one surety and imposed two additional conditions for them to report to the nearest MACC office every month starting January and surrender their international passport until the case is over.
He fixed March 7 for mention.