KUALA LUMPUR: A former employee of an international school pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here today to three charges of cheating and criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving RM142,354.10 belonging to the school.
A. Komala, 33, who served as a parent liaison executive and personal assistant at the time, is accused of misappropriating the sum for personal use at the school located in Persiaran Stonor, Dang Wangi, between June 11 and 28 last year.
She was charged under Section 408 of the Penal Code, which carries a jail term of between one and 14 years, whipping and a fine, upon conviction.
Komala also faces two counts of cheating two Japanese men by deceiving them into believing that the school fee invoices she issued for their children were legitimate.
The alleged deception prompted the victims to transfer RM94,509 and RM47,845.10 respectively into a bank account under a company owned by the accused’s husband — payments they would not have made had they not been misled.
The offences were allegedly committed at the same place and during the same period. The cheating charges were framed under Section 420 of the Penal Code, which provides for imprisonment of between one and 10 years, whipping and a fine, upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Noor Syafina Mohd Radzuan proposed bail at RM30,000 with one surety for all charges, while defence counsel Kelvinder Singh Sindhu appealed for a lower amount, citing that the accused is financially supporting her family.
Judge Azrul Darus allowed bail at RM30,000 with one surety and set July 15 for mention.
