KOTA KINABALU: A self-employed man pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court here today, to cheating a contractor of RM150,000 over a school repair project in Beluran, five years ago.

Sidu Edin, 57, made the plea after the charge was read against him before Judge Jason Juga.

He was accused of cheating the contractor by making him believe that he (Sidu) could help him obtain an emergency repair project at a school, worth RM1.5 million.

The offence was committed at a hotel here, at about 8 pm on March 26, 2019.

The charge was framed under Section 420 of the Penal Code, which provides for a jail term of up to 10 years, and whipping, and also liable for a fine, upon conviction.

The court allowed the accused bail of RM15,000 in one surety, and set April 2 for mention.

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) prosecuting officer, Dzulkarnain Rousan Hasbi, prosecuted while lawyer, Mohd Fadzri Azham Zainudin, represented the accused. -Bernama