Accounts clerk claims trial to 133 charges of CBT

GEORGE TOWN: An accounts clerk has pleaded not guilty to 133 charges of criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving over RM400,000 belonging to a company.

Teh Ya Ling, 41, stated “minta bicara” (I claim trial) to each charge read out to her before Sessions judge Sharmila Abdul Samad here on Thursday (Dec 28).

Based on the charge sheets, Teh is charged, as an accounts clerk of a gold and jewellery assaying company, to have misused the company’s money amounting to RM445,815, between Oct 18, 2019 and May 31, 2021, with some transactions occurring days apart.

She was said to have committed the offences at an office in Jalan Sungai here by transferring money from the company to her personal account on 133 occasions.

The amounts were between RM500 and RM30,000.

Teh was charged under Section 408 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum jail term of 14 years, whipping and a fine, upon conviction.

DPP Lee Jun Keong urged the court to set bail at RM100,000 with two sureties, considering the number of charges, and for the accused to hand over her passport until the trial is over.

In mitigation, Teh’s counsel Teoh Kung Yu urged the court to grant lower bail as she currently worked as a clerk in a private company with an income of RM2,800 a month.

“My client has to support her 81-year-old father after the death of her mother.

“She has no criminal record and this is the first time she has been accused in court.

“In addition, my client cooperated with the police since her arrest on Sept 27.

“She was given police bail after the investigation was completed,” he said.

Teoh added that the bail was to ensure the accused attended court and not a punishment.

“Therefore, I request the court to set lower bail for my client,” he said.

Sharmila then set bail at RM500 for each charge, totalling RM66,500, with one surety.

“In addition, the accused must surrender her passport to the court until the case is resolved,” she said, before setting Feb 9 for mention.