Mantin: A married couple pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here today to a charge of organising a haj pilgrimage without a licence issued by the Pilgrims Fund Board. Mhd Lihan Sabari, 60, and his wife Noor Nisrin Mahlim, 58, made the plea after the charge was read out to them before Judge Mohamad Kamil Nizam.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the couple is jointly charged with making a business transaction to organise a trip to the holy land for the haj pilgrimage without a licence by accepting RM81,000 from a woman between April 4 and 7 this year at a bank branch in Mantin. The offence, under Section 27(1)(a) of the Tabung Haji Act 1955 and read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code, carries a fine of not less than RM100,000 or imprisonment of not more than one year or both, for the first offence, and a fine of not less than RM500,000 or imprisonment of not more than five years or both, for the second offence, if found guilty.
The couple was allowed bail of RM12,000 with one surety each and was also ordered to surrender their passports to the court, report to the Yong Peng police station once a month, and not intimidate the complainant pending the disposal of the case. The court has set August 11 for mention for the submission of documents.
The prosecution was represented by deputy public prosecutor Syamimi Farhana Muhammad A Aziz, while lawyer Mohd Razak Sharif represented the couple.