SHAH ALAM: Two individuals including the National Professors Council (MPN) president Professor Emeritus Datuk Dr Raduan Che Rose pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here today, each to seven charges of criminal breach of trust (CBT), involving RM271,000, in 2023 and April this year.
For two charges, Raduan, 64, is accused of misusing his capacity as MPN president to transfer RM71,000 into the bank account of MPN Global Reach Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Professor Datuk Dr Kefli Mahbol, 65.
For the other five charges, Raduan as MPN Global Reach Sdn Bhd director is accused of committing CBT by transferring RM200,000 in funds to Kefli’s account using five cheques. The funds were down payments for a programme that MPN Global Reach was organising in collaboration with UKMShape, an entity of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
The charges were framed in accordance with Section 409 of the Penal Code which provides for a minimum of two years and a maximum of 20 years in prison with whipping and can be fined, if convicted.
Meanwhile, in a separate proceeding, Kefli was charged with two counts of complicity with Raduan, who is also Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) board of directors chairman, for CBT involving the MPN allocation fund amounting to RM71,000.
He was also charged with five counts of colluding with Raduan to commit CBT involving the down payment for the UKMShape-MPN Global Reach Sdn Bhd programme through five bank cheques amounting to RM200,000.
The charge was brought under Section 109 of the Penal Code, read with Section 409 of the Penal Code which provides for a maximum prison sentence of 20 years and with whipping and a fine, if convicted.
The two individuals committed all the offences on April 3 and March 14, 2023 and April 5, 8 and 15, 2024 at MPN, Kajang in Hulu Langat.
Earlier, as soon as the charges were read out at the proceedings, Raduan said the approval (regarding the withdrawal of money) was given based on his position and capacity.
“I am shocked at all these charges, and I believe I did nothing wrong. I am still surprised (by these charges).”
The prosecution was handled by Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) deputy public prosecutor Law Chin How and the two accused were represented by lawyer Mohd Khairul Azam Abdul Aziz.
Judge Datuk Anita Harun then set bail at RM40,000 for each accused with one surety, besides the accused having to report to the Putrajaya MACC office once a month, and not to disturb or contact prosecution witnesses. The next case mention is set for next Oct 23.
