Court Orders Ex Md To Enter Defence In Rm1 64mil Graft Case

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The judge ruled that there is a prima facie case against Rohaizat Ahmad after 40 witnesses were called to testify. (Bernama pic)KUALA LUMPUR: A former Felcra Training & Consultancy Sdn Bhd (FTC) managing director was ordered by the sessions court today to enter his defence on 33 charges of abusing his position by awarding contracts totalling RM1.64 million to his relatives.
Judge Azura Alwi made the decision after finding that the prosecution had managed to establish a prima facie case against the accused, Rohaizat Ahmad, 58.
Forty witnesses were called by the prosecution during the trial which began in January 2020.
The judge then set nine days for the defence’s trial – March 22, 27 and 28, and April 3, 4, 5, 6, 17 and 18.
Rohaizat’s lawyer, Baharuddin Ahmad Kassim, told the court that the defence will call four witnesses, including the accused, to testify.
According to the first 16 charges, Rohaizat abused his post and position as the managing director of FTC to obtain gratification for his daughter-in-law by appointing Al Maisan Enterprise, which she owns, as a supplier of items such as electronic gadgets, souvenirs, baju kurung, collared T-shirts and as a skills training programme operator.
For the remaining charges, the father of six was accused of using his post and position to obtain gratification for his son by appointing the son’s company, Hexa Tech Pride, as a supplier to FTC for corporate gifts, smartphones, laptops, projectors and electronic gadgets, and also as a consultant for entrepreneur programmes.
All the charges are alleged to have taken place at FTC on Jalan Rampai Niaga 4, Rampai Business Park, Kuala Lumpur, between April 23, 2014, and June 29, 2018.
Rohaizat was charged with committing the offences under Section 23 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 and may be sentenced under Section 24 of the same Act, which carries a maximum jail term of 20 years, a fine of not less than five times the sum of gratification, or RM10,000, whichever is higher. - FMT

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