KUALA LUMPUR – Former chief executive of the Malaysian Automotive, Robotics and IoT Institute (MARii) Datuk Mohamad Madani Sahari has been charged again today – this time over funds misappropriation amounting to RM1.63 million.
Madani pleaded not guilty to the 17 charges before Shah Alam sessions court judge Awang Kerisnada Awang Mahmud today.
The former CEO has been accused of misusing funds belonging to MARii amounting to RM1.63 million to pay for stem cell treatment.
The cheque made to VHG Wellness was allegedly deposited at a bank in Section 20, Shah Alam between July 13, 2020 and April 26, 2021.
Deputy public prosecutor Law Chin How applied for a joint trial of Madani’s other charges at the Kuala Lumpur sessions court and for Madani to surrender his passport.
Madani was represented by lawyers Rahmat Mohamed Hazlan and Wan Aizuddin Wan Mohammed.
The charge, framed under Section 404 of the Penal Code, provides for imprisonment of no less than six months, whipping and a fine, if found guilty.
Awang Kerisnada set February 29 for case remention.
Yesterday, Madani pleaded not guilty to a charge of cheating the institute’s board over a training contract five years ago.
He allegedly cheated MARii’s board of directors by deceiving them into believing that the price offered by LPS Learning Platform to conduct the training was RM6.4 million, when the actual price was only RM2.3 million.
On April 14 last year, Madani was charged in the Shah Alam sessions court with accepting a bribe of RM5 million from an individual through a bank account as a reward for helping a company secure a letter of award for a contract worth RM12 million.
He was also charged in the sessions court here on May 8 last year with soliciting a bribe of RM5 million to help a company obtain a contract for a training and placement programme. – January 30, 2024