Kota Kinabalu: Eight medical assistants at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital 1 were charged in the Special Corruption Court on 62 counts of various offences, including submitting false overtime allowance claims amounting to RM126, 757.24.Naza Fadirul @ Mick Ab Satar, 33, Jaduin Untop, 30, Terence Linchos, 38, Mohd Rosidih Mohd Saidi, 38, Zulkifli Arun, 28, Noor Salim Mohd Zin, 27, Hafiz Mohamad Ariff, 26, and Juraineh Musalim, 30, all locals, who are attached to the Ophthalmology clinic, appeared before Sessions Court Judge Abu Bakar Manat on Thursday.They pleaded not guilty to committing the offence at the Accountant General's Department in Wisma Perindustrian, here, last year.
ADVERTISEMENT
The charges stated that they submitted the claims containing fake details related to their overtime works between January and May, 2016 in which there were no such overtime.All face five charges except Juraineh, who faces three charges.
They were charged under Section 18 of the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 and punishable under Section 24 of the same Act which carries a jail term of up to 20 years, and a fine of not less than five times the amount involved or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.Meanwhile, Naza is facing another 15 charges for abetting Rosidih, Noor Salim, Zulkifli, Jaduin, Mohd Akmal and Junarineh in helping to prepare the document for overtime allowance statement of claims for January and May, 2016 between Feb 1 and June 8.
ADVERTISEMENT
Mohd Akmal also accused of abetting Noor Salim by assisting to prepare the document for overtime allowance statement of claims for February, March, April and May between March 1 and June 2.Both of them claimed trial to the charges under Section 28(1)(c) of the MACC Act 2009 provides for a jail term of up to 20 years, and a fine of not less than five times the amount involved or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
ADVERTISEMENT
Meanwhile, Noor Salim also claimed trial to another five alternative counts of using as genuine five forged overtime allowance claims for January, February, March, April and May between Feb 3 and June 2.For the offence, he was charged under Section 471 of the Penal Code and punishable under Section 465 of the Penal Code carries a jail term of up to two years or fine, or both, on conviction.The court set Oct 10 for case management and released Jaduin, Terence, Mohd Rosidih, Zulkifli, Noor Salim and Hafiz on a bail of RM20,000 with RM10,000 deposited in a local surety each. Juraineh was allowed bail at RM10,000 with RM8,000 deposited in a local surety and Naza was offered bail at RM30,000 with RM15,000 deposited in a local surety.The court also ordered them to report to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission office once a month as well as their passports, if any, to be kept by the court until the disposal of their case.Earlier, Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Rozanna Abd Hadi together with DPP Rustam Sanip informed the court that main charges against the accused were non-bailable but they proposed bail of between RM30,000 and RM15,000 should the court granted bail.
Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
She also said the bail should come with additional conditions that the five should report to the MACC once a month and that their passport to be impounded.Counsel Dominic Chew who represented all accused together with counsel Hairul V. Othman requested for lower bail amount on the grounds that the eight were still serving at the said clinic and have no disciplinary record throughout their services of between four and 11 years. - Cynthia D Baga and Jo Ann Mool
