A former JKKN director and a cultural artist were sentenced to six months in jail and fined RM10,000 each for forging a payment document in 2020.
KUANTAN: A former director and a cultural artist with the National Department for Culture and Arts were sentenced to six months’ imprisonment and fined RM10,000 each for forgery.
Judge Sazlina Safie imposed the sentence on Dayang Kartini Awang Bujang, 49, and Mardziana Che Mohd Amin, 39, after finding the prosecution’s case proven beyond reasonable doubt.
The court ordered the jail term to begin immediately but granted a stay of execution pending an appeal.
Bail for each accused was increased from RM10,000 to RM12,000 with one surety.
The court also ordered RM980 in seized cash to be forfeited to the government and returned the passports of both accused.
The pair were convicted of acting in concert to forge a payment instruction document for RM9,920.
The document was for the supply of deer-head accessories from a company named Anas Niaga for a departmental cultural group.
The offence was committed at the JKKN office here on June 26, 2020.
They had knowledge that the services were not provided by Anas Niaga and that the forged document was used for deception.
They were charged under Section 468 of the Penal Code, read with Section 34, which carries a penalty of up to seven years’ jail and a fine.
Failure to pay the RM10,000 fine will result in an additional six months’ imprisonment.
During sentencing, the prosecution sought a deterrent sentence.
The defence appealed for a minimum sentence and a stay of the jail term pending appeal.
