KUALA LUMPUR: A former credit manager was sentenced to a total of 12 years' prison by a Session Court here Wednesday for transferring nearly RM300,000 worth of refunds meant for hotel guest to her own credit card accounts.

Ai'ri Abdul Aziz, 33, was found guilty of three charges of criminal breach of trust against Le Meridian Hotel, where she refunded RM299.068.42 into three of her credit cards from her employer's bank account, between November 2008 and August 2009.

Judge S.M. Komathy Suppiah ruled that the defence failed to raise reasonable doubt against the prosecution's case.

"I find the version of facts in support of the defence here so ludicrous and might well be described as clutching at straws.

"There is evidence it was not policy of the (Le Meridian) Hotel to allow its staff to use its bank account," she said, in her judgement.

DPP Shashita Mohd Hanipa recommended a custodial sentence of five to 10 years for each charge, to run consecutively.

"While this may have been her first offence, the fact that she made 109 transactions shows she had the intention to repeat the offence," said Shashita.

Judge Komathy sentenced Ai'ri to four years prison for each charge, to run concurrently.

Ai'ri, whose family members attended the proceeding, remained stoic when her sentence was read.

Counsel Ranjit Singh pleaded for a stay of execution, pending an appeal against the Session judge's decision.

The court granted the stay of execution, and raised bail from RM10,000 to RM15,000 for all charges, with one surety.

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