KANGAR: An assistant accountant pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here today to 13 charges of misappropriating RM81,585.04 of the Perlis state government’s funds.

Mohd Reimi Ismail, 45, as a public body official holding an assistant accountant position at the Perlis State Treasury Office, is accused of allegedly committing the offences at three different banks between June 2018 and Sept 2019.

He is charged under Section 403 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum imprisonment of five years, caning, and a fine upon conviction.

Judge Norsalha Hamzah granted bail at RM30,000 with one surety, along with additional conditions requiring the defendant to report to the Perlis branch of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) once a month and to surrender his passport to the court until the case is concluded.

Mohd Reimi posted bail and the court set Aug 27 for the next case mention.

Deputy public prosecutor Nurul Atiqah Mohamad Alias appeared for the prosecution, while the defendant was represented by lawyer Syed Muhammad Anwar Syed Lokman Hakim.