Misappropriation of funds: Alif Teega maintains not guilty plea

SHAH ALAM: Social media influencer Mohd Hazalif Mohd Hazani, popularly known as Alif Teega, maintained his not-guilty plea in the Sessions Court here to two counts of misappropriating over RM60,000 raised for two religious charity programmes this year.

Mohd Hazalif, 30, made the plea when the charges were read out to him again before Judge Datuk Mohd Nasir Nordin on Wednesday (Oct 23).

According to the first charge, he is accused of dishonestly misappropriating RM36,047.35 in donations intended for breaking fast programmes in Makkah, Syria and Palestine at a bank on Jalan Kerinci, Gerbang Kerinci Lestari, on April 26.

On the second charge, Mohd Hazalif is alleged to have dishonestly misappropriated RM27,558.13 intended for the Jom! Sertai Infaq Daging Qurban programme at the same bank on June 15.

Both charges were brought under Section 403 of the Penal Code (Act 574), which carries a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment, whipping and a fine upon conviction.

The two charges were read out again after the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court allowed Deputy Public Prosecutor Julaila Jamaludin’s application last Monday (Oct 21) for the case to be heard jointly with 10 other charges against Mohd Hazalif and for bail amounting to RM50,000 to be extended.

On Sept 23, Mohd Hazalif and his wife, Aisyah Hijanah Azhari, 26, were charged in the Shah Alam Sessions Court with 10 counts of misappropriating funds amounting to RM1.52mil collected for charitable activities, including food for the poor in Makkah and Madinah, aid for flood victims in Kelantan and Terengganu and Raya clothing for orphans.

Earlier in Wednesday’s proceedings, Julaila requested that the Nov 27 date set for the submission of documents be maintained and that the RM50,000 bail imposed on Mohd Hazalif be extended.

Lawyer Mohd Shahrullah Khan, who was representing Mohd Hazalif, did not object to the request.

Mohd Nasir then allowed all the prosecution’s applications. – Bernama