KUALA PILAH: A 57-year-old former senior private secretary has claimed trial at the Sessions Court here to a charge of cheating a businessman of almost RM450,000.
Datuk Nasarudin Mahamud, who served under a deputy minister before the offence was allegedly committed, pleaded not guilty after the charge was read to him before judge Norma Ismail on Tuesday (July 4).
He was charged with cheating one Fadzil Abu Bakar into believing that he had the authority to manage a government project worth RM8mil.
He allegedly deceived the victim into transferring RM382,000 into his account and then accepted another RM67,000 in cash from Fadzil.
Nasarudin was charged with committing the offence between Oct 6 and 18 last year at Fadzil Enterprise Sdn Bhd in Tampin.
He was charged under Section 420 of the Penal Code which carries a jail term of between one and 10 years, whipping and a fine if convicted.
Deputy public prosecutor Muhammad Amirul Noor Hashimi asked the court not to offer bail as the amount involved in the alleged crime was substantial.
Lead counsel Datuk Eddin Syazlee Shith appealed for bail, saying his client suffered from heart and kidney ailments.
"My client has been receiving treatment at the National Heart Institute but asked to be moved to Hospital Serdang as he could not afford the cost.
"Since he is also suffering from kidney-related problems, I hope the court will allow bail as he has to seek treatment regularly," he said.
Eddin, who was assisted by Syed Amirul Syed Edros, said he was representing Nasarudin on a pro bono basis owing to the financial situation of the accused.
Judge Norma then set bail at RM4,000 and fixed Aug 4 for next mention.
