KUANTAN: A managing director of a company pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here on Tuesday (Oct 24) when charged with four counts of submitting false claims for the Penjana Kerjaya 2.0 incentive from the Social Security Organisation (Socso) amounting to RM59,560 two years ago.
M. Sentil Kumar, 38, is accused of having submitted an employment confirmation form to claim incentives between RM8,800 and RM26,660 for 14 individuals who are not employees of SP Agro Industry Sdn Bhd.
He was accused of committing the act at Wisma Perkeso here on June 24, 2021, an offence framed under Section 18 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, which can be punished under Section 24(2) of the same law, which carries a maximum jail term of up to 20 years and a fine of not less five times the value of the claims or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
He also pleaded not guilty to four optional charges of using fake documents as genuine, which are offences under Section 471 of the Penal Code, and can be punished according to Section 465 of the same law, which carries a maximum prison sentence of two years, or a fine or both, if convicted.
MACC deputy public prosecutor Rifah Izzati Abdul Mutalif proposed bail of RM30,000, with the additional condition that the accused must report to the MACC office every month and surrender his passports to the court.
Lawyer Vijaya Sandran, who represented Sentil Kumar, appealed for a lower bail, on the grounds that his client supported his ailing father and provided good cooperation throughout the investigation.
Judge Datuk Ahmad Zamzani Mohd Zain allowed the accused bail of RM30,000 in one surety and additional conditions, and set Nov 23 for mention of the case and submission of documents. - Bernama
