MELAKA: An Economic Affairs officer of the Farmers’ Organisation Authority (FOA) pleaded not guilty in the Ayer Keroh Sessions Court here today to submitting false claims and accepting gratification.
Mohd Zairey Yahya, 42, was charged with using a document containing false information, namely the Certificate of Completion for a project related to the supply of agricultural tools and nine metric tons of galangal seedlings worth RM44,550, but the work was not carried out.
The accused, who was then the general manager of the Area Farmers’ Organisation (PPK) in Ledang, Tangkak, Johor, was charged with committing the offence between January and March 2020.
The charge was framed under Section 18 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act and can be punished under Section 24 (2) of the same law.
He faced imprisonment for not more than 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount or value of the bribe that is the subject of the offence, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
Mohd Zairey, currently working at the LPP headquarters, was also charged with obtaining RM20,000 without consideration from one Ismail Yaacub,42, a person concerned with his official duties, over the same project.
The offence, under Section 165 of the Penal Code which carries a prison sentence of up to two years or a fine or both, upon conviction, was allegedly committed at the Medan Selera Pekan Selandar car park in Jasin district on March 5, 2021.
Earlier, lawyer Datuk Haniff Hassan, representing the accused, asked the court to strike out the first charge because there was a defect as it did not specify where the offence was committed.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohammad Azriff Firdaus Mohamad Ali, from MACC, objected to the application on the grounds that the details in the charge were sufficient and the accused understood the charge made against him.
Judge Elesabet Paya Wan allowed the prosecution’s objection and allowed the accused bail of RM20,000 for both charges with one surety.
She also ordered the accused to report himself at the Seremban MACC office once a month and to surrender his passport to the court.
The court fixed June 19 for mention for the submission of documents.
