GEORGE TOWN: A woman who worked as an accounts clerk has entered a plea of not guilty to 133 charges of criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving over RM400,000 from a company.
Teh Ya Ling, 41, used the words “minta bicara” (I claim trial) to each charge when they were read out to her by Sessions judge Sharmila Abdul Samad on Thursday (Dec 28).
According to the charge sheets, Teh is accused of misusing the company’s money, totaling RM445,815, between Oct 18, 2019 and May 31, 2021, with these unauthorized transactions taking place within days of each other.
It is alleged that she transferred money from the company to her personal account on 133 separate occasions while she worked as an accounts clerk at a gold and jewellery assaying company situated in Jalan Sungai.
The amounts involved ranged from RM500 to RM30,000.
Teh is facing charges under Section 408 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum jail term of 14 years, whipping and a fine, if convicted.
DPP Lee Jun Keong has called on the court to set bail at RM100,000 with two sureties, taking into account the number of charges, and for the accused to hand over her passport until the trial concludes.
Meanwhile, Teh’s counsel Teoh Kung Yu has requested the court to grant a lower bail amount, citing her current job as a clerk in a private company where she earns RM2,800 a month. He also mentioned that she has to support her 81-year-old father following her mother’s death, has no previous criminal record, and has cooperated with the police since her arrest on Sept 27.
Teoh emphasized that the bail was to ensure the accused’s presence in court and not to be seen as a form of punishment. Based on his submission, Sharmila set bail at RM500 for each charge, totaling RM66,500, with one surety. She also ordered Teh to surrender her passport to the court until the case is resolved, and has set Feb 9 for mention.
