Director, former commandant at military academy charged with RM920,000 CBT

A senior army officer and a former commandant at Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia’s (UPNM) military training academy were charged in the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court today with two counts of criminal breach of trust (CBT) and the misappropriation of property in connection with a non-existent investment scheme amounting to RM920,000.

Lieutenant Colonel Azman Mohamed Yasin, who is director of the academy, and army retiree Brigadier-General Mohamad Adkaa Solahuddin pleaded not guilty to the charges which were read out to them separately before judge Mahyon Talib.

Azman and Adka, who was charged in their capacity as director and commandant at the academy, were alleged to have committed CBT by approving payments of RM500,000 and RM420,000 belonging to the Academy Welfare Fund for investment through an unregistered and invalid financial institution.

The offences were allegedly committed at the academy at UPNM, Kem Perdana Sungai Besi, between Aug 3 and Sept 23, 2016.

The charges were framed under Section 409 of the Penal Code. If convicted, they face imprisonment of up to 20 years and a whipping and will also be liable to a fine.

They also face an alternative charge under Section 403 of the Penal Code for the dishonest misappropriation of the money at the same place and time.

The charge provides for imprisonment of up to five years and a whipping, with both liable to a fine if found guilty.

The court allowed them bail of RM80,000 with one surety each and told them to report to the nearest Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission office on the first day of every month pending the disposal of their case.

They were also ordered to surrender their passports to the court.

Adka was allowed to pay the balance of his bail on or before Dec 7 after his lawyer, Nur Asyikin Zakaria, told the court that her client could only raise RM15,000 for bail today.

Azman, represented by lawyer Mohd Amir Aizat Abdul Rani, requested for a low bail amount, saying that he had no other source of income except for his salary as director of the academy.

Deputy public prosecutor Nur Shafini Mustafha prosecuted.

The court set Dec 22 for mention.