Former manager freed of using forged documents

The Sessions Court here on Friday acquitted and discharged a former senior manager of Majuikan Sdn Bhd, Mohd Khairuddin Abu Bakar, from a charge of using forged documents as genuine.

Judge Rosenani Abd Rahman made the decision after finding that the defence had succeeded in raising reasonable doubts against the prosecution's case, at the end of the defence case.

Mohd Khairuddin, 56, was accused jointly with Gazali Rashid (now deceased) for using three forged documents, comprising a resolution by the Majuikan Sdn Bhd's board of directors, dated Feb 14, 2006, a promissory note issued by Malaysian Seabest Sdn Bhd and a accompanying letter, both dated March 1, 2006, to cheat an American bank of 10 million euro (RM40.35 million).

The offence was allegedly committed at 22, Level 33, Jalan 4/146, Metro Centre, Bandar Tasik Selatan, Cheras, between Feb 14 and March 22, 2006.

On May 31 last year, Mohd Khairuddin was acquitted and discharged of cheating a American bank of the same amount.

He was accused of misleading HSBC USA Bank, New York vice-president Stephen Ferrera into believing that Majuikan, a subsidiary of the Malaysian Fisheries Development Authority (LKIM), had consented to be a guarantor for a 10 million loan application by Malaysian Seabest Sdn Bhd, thereby causing the bank to approve the amount. Prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutor C.Vignesh Kumar, while Mohd Khairuddin was represented by lawyers Shamsul Sulaiman and Datuk Dr Mohd Radzuan Ibrahim.