Former company COO fined RM200,000 for using false document

ALOR SETAR: A former chief operating officer (COO) of a solid waste management and public cleaning company was fined a total of RM200,000, in default 36 months' jail, by the Sessions Court here today to three alternative charges of using false documents in claims for contract work.

Judge Harmi Thamri Mohamad meted out the fine on Azmi Amin Sarji, 53, after he pleaded guilty to the charges.

Azmi was fined M70,000, in default 12 months' jail, on each count for the first and second charge, and RM60,000, in default 12 months' imprisonment, for third count.

When handing down the sentence, Harmi Thamri said he took into account public interest and hoped the the punishment would serve a lesson to others.

On the first and second charges, Azmi who was then the COO of Environment Idaman Sdn Bhd (E-Idaman), was charged with dishonestly using a document as genuine when he had reason to believe the document was false, in relation to claim payments for Nov 2017 amounting to RM74,489.53 and for December 2017 amounting to RM74,489.53.

Azmi was also jointly charged with the former chief executive officer of E-Idaman, Mhd (Rpt: Mhd) Saiful Anuar Zainal, 53, with using false documents for claim payment for March 2017 amounting to RM426,935.14 .

The offence was committed at the same place on May 8 and 9, 2017.

The charges were framed under Section 471 of the Penal Code which provides for an imprisonment of up to two years or a fine or both, upon conviction.

Meanwhile, Azmi also pleaded guilty to two charges of accepting bribes, involving RM181,177 and RM170,000, respectively.

The offences were committed on Feb 19 and 20, 2018, but the court took into consideration the punishment for the charge according to Section 171A of the Criminal Procedure Code.

The prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutor from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Tan Sew Ping, while Azmi was represented by lawyer Shamsul Sulaiman.

-- BERNAMA