SANDAKAN: A Community Development Officer (CDO) for Elopura, Herman Idris, pleaded not guilty to two charges of abusing his power by recommending two nominees who were his relatives as recipients of the 2022 Rumah Mesra Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) programme, despite their ineligibility.
Herman, 52, entered the plea after the charges were read before Special Corruption Court Judge Elsie Primus at the Sessions Court, here, on Friday.
On both charges, Herman allegedly committed the offence on Sept 26, 2022, at 2.30pm at the Libaran Conference Hall, Level 1, Wisma Perbandaran, Sandakan Municipal Council.
The charges stated that, as a public officer serving as the CDO for the Elopura area at the time, Herman allegedly used his position during a Sandakan district focus group meeting to recommend poverty assistance under the SMJ Housing Programme, valued at RM70,000 each, for the two nominees who were his relatives and were not eligible.
As a result of the familial relationship and the interest arising from his actions, the two relatives were subsequently selected as recipients of the Rumah Mesra SMJ.
The offence falls under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, punishable under Section 24(1) of the same Act, carrying a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the value of the gratification involved, if the gratification can be assessed or is in monetary form, or RM10,000, whichever is higher.
The court set April 2 for pre-trial case management and allowed bail of RM15,000, with RM6,000 to be deposited in one local surety.
Herman was also ordered to surrender his international passport, if any, to the court, report to the MACC office once every two months, and refrain from interfering with prosecution witnesses.
Earlier, MACC Prosecuting Officer Dzulkarnain Rousan Hasbi proposed bail of RM15,000 with one local surety for each charge pending trial.
However, counsel Sharatha Masyaroh John Ridwan Lincon, representing Herman, requested a lower bail amount, citing that Herman has dependents including his wife, four children, as well as his mother and mother-in-law.
