Penang Zakat Centre CEO claims trial to 3 graft charges

BUTTERWORTH: The Penang Zakat Management Centre (PUZ) CEO has claimed trial to three counts of graft at Sessions Court here today.
Datuk Azman Abdul Samat, 50, pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him in front of Sessions judge Sitarun Nisa Abdul Aziz.
Dressed in grey blazer, Azman appeared calm during the proceeding.
He was charged under Section 165 of the Penal Code which carries a jail term of up to two years or a fine or both, on conviction.
He was alleged to have received three branded watches worth a total RM3,500 from three different company without return who in his knowledge related to his official work between 2010-15 at separate locations in Central Seberang Prai.
Meanwhile, in the same court the PUZ Head Of Management For Asnaf Quality and Economy Development Division Mohd Wardi Ramli was charged with three counts of power abuse.
On the first charge, Mohd Wardi, 35 was alleged to have abused his position in PUZ to obtain an inducement for himself by recommending Syarikat Al Global Trading to supply bedroom items worth more than RM10,000 by submitting a quotation dated Oct 26, 2015 to Mohd Shukri Ibrahim on October 2015 at his office in Bandar Perda,Bukit Mertajam.
He was alleged to have abused his position in PUZ to obtain an inducement for himself when making an application and recommending Syarikat Al Global Trading through a JPAM application form to supply agriculture item worth more than RM 10,000 which he has interest in the company on Nov 11 and Nov 14, 2016 at his office in Bandar Perda,Bukit Mertajam.
Last May, a high-ranking officer and three of his officers were detained by MACC to facilitate investigation on the corruption probe of the state agency.
The eight contractors were also detained along with them in an operation dubbed "Ops Miskin".
The PUZ officers are alleged to have accepted valuable items, cheques and cash from the contractors as incentives to award them projects or work-related programmes.
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