IPOH, Sept 10 (Bernama) -- A former assistant Islamic Affairs officer was charged at the Sessions Court here today with 16 counts of criminal breach of trust (CBT) amounting to RM30,250 in relation to the overpayment of mosque imam remuneration between 2019 and 2023.
Muhamad Azian Mat Isa, 38, pleaded not guilty to all charges read out before Judge Meor Sulaiman Ahmad Tarmizi.
According to the charge, the accused, who was also the Taiping District Mosque Administration Coordinator, was charged in his capacity as the person entrusted with payment amounting to between RM850 and RM5,950, which is the overpayment of imam remuneration, for committing criminal breach of trust involving 10 mosques in Taiping.
The father of four is accused of committing the act at the Taiping District Islamic Religious Office between March 4, 2019 and July 20, 2023.
The charge was brought under Section 409 of the Penal Code which, if convicted, carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years with whipping, and fine.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) prosecuting officer Suzieyana Azura Yahaya offered bail of RM4,000 for each charge with an additional condition that he must report to the MACC office every two months.
Lawyer Ahmad Shamil Azad Abdul Hamid applied for bail of RM10,000 for all charges on the grounds that the accused, who works as a goat herder, earns RM1,000 a month and supports a wife and four children.
The court granted bail of RM16,000 for all charges with additional conditions that he must report to the Taiping MACC office every month and surrender his passport to the court until the case is resolved, and set Oct 13 for mention of the case.
-- BERNAMA
