KUALA LUMPUR: Two former senior Lembaga Tabung Haji officers pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court to a charge of cheating the board of directors in relation to hibah payments totalling RM3.3 billion for the 2017 financial year.
Former chief financial officer Datuk Rozaida Omar, 63, and former chief executive officer Datuk Seri Johan Abdullah, 70, entered their pleas before Judge Norma Ismail after the joint charge was read to them.
They are accused of misleading TH's board of directors into approving inflated revaluations of the organisation's investment properties.
According to the charge, they allegedly prepared and presented a working paper containing inflated property valuations for the financial year ended Dec 31, 2017, despite knowing that the properties should have been valued at lower market prices.
The alleged act enabled TH to make hibah payments totalling RM3.3 billion to its depositors for the 2017 financial year.
The three properties involved were Bangunan TH Platinum Park, Bangunan TH Perdana and Bangunan TH Selborne.
The offence was allegedly committed between 3pm and 10.30pm on Feb 9, 2018, at Menara TH Tun Razak along Jalan Tun Razak.
The charge, framed under Section 417 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34, carries a maximum jail term of five years, a fine or both upon conviction.
Norma fixed bail at RM60,000 with one surety for each accused and set Dec 8 for document submission.
Deputy public prosecutors Datuk Nazran Mohd Sham, Rohaiza Abd Rahman and Siti Aina Rodhiah Md Shikh prosecuted.
Lawyer Shamsul Sulaiman represented Rozaida, while Datuk Shukri Mohamed and Malissa Shukri represented Johan.
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