BUTTERWORTH: A former chief operating officer (COO) of an information technology (IT) company pleaded not guilty in the Special Sessions Court here today to a charge of cheating his employer of RM40,000 in a false invoice for the supply of services seven years ago.
Aziedy Abdul Talib, 42, who was then working with Mutiara.com Sdn Bhd, made the plea before Judge Zulhazmi Abdullah.
He was charged with cheating the company by deceiving its Financial Operations Executive into believing that the contents of the invoice, number PC023/01/2016 for the “Kaspersky Antivirus License renewal consultation service” was true, hence the payment of RM40,000 was made to ATR Resources Enterprise, a company owned by his younger sibling.
Aziedy was alleged to have committed the offence at the office of Mutiara.com Sdn Bhd, on the 14th Floor of Menara Umno, Jalan Macalister in the Timur Laut district on Oct 11, 2016.
The charge, under Section 417 of the Penal Code, provides imprisonment for up to five years or a fine or both, if found guilty.
He also faced an alternative charge under Section 18 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 of intending to deceive his principal by giving a false invoice to the financial operations executive for the “Kaspersky Antivirus License renewal consultation service” amounting to RM40,000, of which the service was not provided by ATR Resources Enterprise at the same place and date.
Aziedy faced imprisonment of not more than 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the sum or value of the false or erroneous or defective material particular, where such false or erroneous or defective material particular is capable of being valued, or of a pecuniary nature, or RM10,000, whichever is the higher, upon conviction.
Judge Zulhazmi allowed Aziedy bail of RM10,000 with a local surety and also ordered him to report himself at a MACC Office once a month.
The court set June 26 for mention of the case.
Deputy public prosecutors Noor Azura Zulkiflee and Afiqa Liyana Rozman prosecuted, while Aziedy was represented by lawyer Ang Chun Pun. - Bernama
