Two former senior Tabung Haji (TH) officials were charged at the Sessions Court here on Thursday with allegedly cheating the pilgrimage fund over the valuation of three investment properties worth RM3.3 billion, eight years ago.
Former chief financial officer Datuk Rozaida Omar, 63, and former chief executive officer Datuk Seri Johan Abdullah, 70, pleaded not guilty after the charges were read before Judge Norma Ismail.
According to the charge, the two allegedly conspired to deceive TH’s board of directors by preparing and presenting a paper proposing adjustments to the valuation of the fund’s investment properties.
The proposal was allegedly intended to inflate TH’s profit in its unconsolidated financial statements for the financial year ended Dec 31, 2017, to facilitate a hibah (dividend) payout totalling RM3.3 billion, despite the properties’ market values being lower.
The alleged offence led the board to approve the proposed revaluation of three properties: TH Platinum Park, TH Perdana and TH Selborne.
The offence was allegedly committed at Menara TH Tun Razak along Jalan Tun Razak between 3pm and 10.30pm on Feb 9, 2018.
The two were charged under Section 417 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34 of the same code. If convicted, they face up to five years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both.
Deputy public prosecutors Datuk Nazran Mohd Sham, Rohaiza Abd Rahman and Siti Aina Rodhiah Md Shikh handled the prosecution.
Rozaida was represented by lawyer Shamsul Sulaiman, while Johan was represented by Datuk Shukri Mohamed and Malissa Shukri.
The court granted each accused bail of RM60,000 with one surety.
The case was fixed for mention on Dec 8 for the submission of documents.
