Ex-clerk convicted for CBT has prison time cut in half by Appeals Court

PUTRAJAYA: A former clerk with an entertainment production company owned by Malaysian artiste Datuk Sheila Majid who was convicted of committing criminal breach of trust had her prison time cut in half by the Court of Appeals today.

A three-man panel comprising Datuk Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, Datuk Seri Zakaria Sam and Datuk Ahmadi Asnawi reduced Nasimah Kamarudin's jail sentence from seven years to four years.

The court also set aside the RM50,000 fine in default one year's jail imposed on Nasimah by the High Court.
Nasimah had to serve the one-year jail term as she failed to pay the fine.

Nasimah, however, lost her appeal against her conviction on a charge of committing criminal breach of trust totalling RM90,000 at Magada Entertainment Sdn Bhd in Jalan Balau, Damansara Heights in Kuala Lumpur between Nov 1, 2007, and March 28, 2008.

She was seen crying as she was led away from the courtroom.

In dismissing Nasimah's appeal on her conviction, Justice Tengku Maimun who chaired the panel said the court found no compelling reason to disturb the High Court findings with regard to her conviction.
She, however, allowed Nasimah's appeal on her jail sentence by setting aside the High Court order for her to serve seven years jail and restoring the Sessions Court's decision.

According to the charge, Nasimah, a single mother with two children, was entrusted to manage a Maybank chequebook belonging to the company but she had issued five cash cheques in her name and deposited eight cheques in her bank account.

Nasimah, 41, was found guilty by the Sessions Court for the offence and was given a four-year jail term on July 29, last year. She appealed to the High Court and the prosecution cross-appealed on the jail sentence.

The High Court on March 20, this year allowed the prosecution's appeal for a deterrent sentence and sentenced Nasimah to seven years jail and RM50,000 fine prompting her to file appeal at the appellate court.

Nasimah was represented by lawyer Ahmad Shamil Azad Abdul Hamid while deputy public prosecutor Norinna Bahadun for the prosecution. — Bernama