SHAH ALAM – Aman Palestin Bhd’s executive director Abdullah Zaik Abdul Rahman and chief executive officer Awang Sufian Awang Piut have pleaded not guilty to all 52 criminal breach of trust charges involving RM20.946 million in funds.
The duo are accused of committing the offences, involving the same funds, in their capacity as directors of Samudra Champa Sdn Bhd, entrusted with Aman Palestin-owned assets in the form of cash.
Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib told the court that the prosecution and the duo’s defence team had agreed to submit for the bail amount to be set at RM1 million with one surety.
He proposed that RM500,000 be deposited with the court today while the duo is given a month to pay the rest.
The defence and prosecution had also agreed that Zaik should surrender his passport to the court.
Shah Alam sessions court judge Datuk Anita Harun agreed.
The charges were first read out to Zaik before Awang was hit with the same charges in the same courtroom after the former’s bail had been settled.
The 52 charges were made under Section 409 of the Penal Code for criminal breach of trust.
The alleged transactions are said to have occurred between March 12, 2018, and November 3, last year, at varying Maybank branches in Bandar Baru Bangi.
The duo also claimed trial after they were jointly charged with 19 counts of cheating by marking-up the prices of gold bars sold to Aman Palestin’s board of trustees.
The pair is accused of dishonestly increasing the cost of the material by RM5.75 million throughout multiple transactions between September 2021 and July 2023.
Bail was set with the same conditions, with the case under Section 420 of the Penal Code.
Case mention is set on March 13. – February 15, 2024