Pontian municipal officer pleads not guilty to cheating charges involving RM62,760 over building app

JOHOR BAHRU, March 31 — A 38 year old municipal administrator claimed trial in the Sessions Court here today on a charge of deceiving a man into handing over a cheque and cash totalling RM62,760 to speed up the application for the construction of a two storey building in Rimba Terjun, Pontian, over the past five years.

The accused, Muhammad Nazri Abu Bakar, who is attached to the Pontian Municipal Council (MPPn), pleaded not guilty to five charges after they were read out by an interpreter before Judge Datuk Ahmad Kamal Arifin Ismail.

Based on the first to fifth charges, the accused is charged with deceiving a 72-year-old man into handing over three cheques and cash totalling RM62,760.

The act was to induce the victim to believe that the accused could hasten the application to build a two-storey building in Rimba Terjun in Pontian, when the accused had not done so.

The offence was allegedly committed by Muhammad Nazri at Batu 36, Jalan Johor in Pontian between November 19, 2021 and May 30, 2022.

The charge was brought under Section 417 of the Penal Code for simple cheating which provides for a prison sentence of up to five years or a fine or both upon conviction. Under the Code, imprisonment is not mandatory. 

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) prosecuting officer Muhammad Faizul Kamarulzaman, who prosecuted the case, offered bail of RM20,000 with one surety for the accused.

The accused’s counsel Mazri Muhammad requested that the court grant a minimum bail considering that the accused is supporting his wife and four children, including a child who is autistic.

The court then granted bail of RM10,000 with a local surety and set May 7 for mention and the submission of documents.