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SHAH ALAM - Former Lembaga Tabung Haji chief operating officer Datuk Adi Azuan Abdul Ghani has claimed trial at the Sessions Court here to three charges of graft amounting to RM302,000 linked to home renovations.
Adi Azuan, 56, pleaded not guilty after the charges were read out before Sessions Court judge Awang Kerisnada Awang Mahmud on Thursday.
According to the first to third charges, Adi, in his capacity as the TH COO, allegedly received for himself gratification which was the cost of home renovations worth RM235,866.58, RM50,698.74 and RM15,933.95 for three houses at different locations.
He allegedly received the gratification from AG Reka Sdn Bhd director Thamsulazri Ismail, whom the accused knew had links to his duty.
The offences were allegedly committed at the locations of the three homes in Shah Alam, Kota Damansara and USJ 2 on March 7, 2017.
The charges were framed under Section 165 of the Penal Code, which carries imprisonment of up to two years, a fine or both, if convicted.
Deputy public prosecutor Muaz Ahmad Khairuddin told the court that the case involved non-bailable offences.
He, however, proposed a RM70,000 bail in one surety should the court exercised its discretion to grant bail.
"We leave it to the court's discretion if it decides to impose additional bail conditions," DPP Muaz said.
Meanwhile, lawyer Wan Azwan Aiman Wan Fakhruddin, who represented the accused, asked for a lower bail amount of RM30,000.
He said his client has to support four sons aged between 25 and 12 who were still schooling, with the eldest being in university.
Wan Azwan also asked for the court not to impound the accused's passport, as the accused was not a flight risk.
Awang Kerisnada fixed bail at RM50,000 in two sureties.
He also ordered for the accused to surrender his passport to the court.
"If he needs to use his passport, he can write to the court," Awang Kerisnada said.
The case is set for mention on Nov 25.
Adi Azuan was initially scheduled to appear before the court on Sept 3 but the proceedings were postponed due to his hospitalisation for an angiogram. - THE STAR
