KANGAR – An Assistant Islamic Affairs Officer pleads not guilty at the Sessions Court here today to three charges of submitting false claims amounting to RM135,000 related to the re-registration of new converts between 2022 and 2024.
Mohammad Nurhelmy Norman, 29, who had been suspended from work and was working as an e-hailing driver, entered the plea before Judge Datuk Nu’aman Mahmud Zuhudi.
According to the charges, he was accused in his capacity as an Assistant Islamic Affairs Officer Grade S29 in the Dakwah Division of the Perlis Islamic Religious Affairs Department (Jaips) of using documents containing false details with the intent to deceive his principal.
The charges involved claims for the re-registration of two converts amounting to RM3,500 in 2022, 15 individuals totalling RM40,000 in 2023, and 33 individuals totalling RM91,500 in 2024.
All the offences were allegedly committed at the Jaips office at Kompleks Islam Perlis, Persiaran Jubli Emas.
The charges were framed under Section 18 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, punishable under Section 24(2) of the same Act, which carried a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of no less than five times the value of the false claims, or RM10,000, whichever was higher, upon conviction.
The court allowed him bail of RM12,000 with one surety and imposed an additional condition requiring him to report to the MACC office monthly.
The court set May 20 for mention for the submission of relevant documents.
The prosecution was conducted by MACC deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Fariz Abdul Hamid, while the accused was represented by lawyer Siti Salwa Ja’afar. – BERNAMA