A company owner was today charged in the Sessions Court, here, with two counts of offering to the public, an investment scheme in agriculture ventures, without approval from the authorities, hence illegal.

However, the accused Roslan Husain, 40, from Kampung Machang Raja, Tembeling Tengah, Jerantut, claimed trial to the charges read out to him before judge Ahmad Faizadh Yahaya.

On the first count, he had allegedly through RBH Agro, offered participation to the public, in an investment scheme involving a chilli fertigation project, and goat, cattle and buffalo rearing by the company when he had no authority to do so.

For this, the accused was charged under Section 89 of the Companies Act 1965, read together with Section 84 of the same Act, and could be sentenced under Section 94(1), if convicted.

On the second count, he is alleged to have offered the same investment scheme to the public when he received no deed of trust approved by the Registrar of Companies, Companies Commission of Malaysia (CCM).

This is an offence under Section 91(1) of the Companies Act 1965, read together with Section 84 of the same Act. If found guilty, the accused like in the first charge, faces five years' jail or a fine of up to RM100,000, or both.

Prosecuting officer from CCM, Muhammad Afif Abdullah applied for bail of RM10,000 while waiting for the case mention date as the case was of public interest.

The accused who was unrepresented, appealed to the judge to reduce the amount as he is now only working as a lorry driver while his wife is in hospital due to miscarriage.

The judge, however, set bail at RM10,000 and April 18 for case mention to enable the accused to appoint counsel and to submit the relevant documents. The bail was paid in one surety. - BERNAMA