Kuala terengganu: A civil engineer appeared in the Sessions Court to plead not guilty to five charges of cheating five contractors, involving a sum of RM18,198 since 2023.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Mohd Nizam Mohd, aged 41, who was employed as a civil engineer at Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) at the time of the incidents, allegedly deceived the contractors into handing over money under the pretense that it would be used for purchasing equipment, service payments, and contributions to UniSZA programs and clubs. The accusations claim that Mohd Nizam, aware that the funds were not meant for the stated purposes, dishonestly influenced the contractors to transfer the total amount into a bank account belonging to his wife.

The alleged acts took place on various dates across several banks. Specifically, Mohd Nizam is accused of committing the offenses at a bank in Jertih on August 23, 2023; two banks in Kuala Terengganu on August 24 and December 27, 2023, respectively; another bank in Jertih on January 1, 2024; and an additional bank in Kuala Terengganu on January 4, 2024. The charges are framed under Section 420 of the Penal Code, which, upon conviction, could result in a prison sentence ranging from one to ten years, alongside whipping and a fine.

During the court proceedings, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Deputy Public Prosecutor Nur Amalina Najwa Mohd Ali proposed a bail of RM20,000, subject to conditions that include monthly reporting to the MACC office, non-interference with prosecution witnesses, and the surrender of the accused's passport to the court. In response, lawyer Wan Shahrizal Wan Ladin, representing Mohd Nizam, requested a reduction in bail, citing his client's responsibilities towards his wife and three school-going children, as well as his heart condition.

Judge Azman Mustapha agreed to set bail at RM6,000 with one surety, while also approving the additional conditions suggested by the prosecution. The court has scheduled the case mention for September 24.