The Kuala Lumpur sessions court today ordered two former senior officers of the Federal Land Development Authority (Felda) to enter their defence on two counts of criminal breach of trust (CBT), involving almost RM48 million four years ago.
Judge Allaudeen Ismail ordered former Felda deputy general manager (Strategic Resource Management) Muhammad Sufi Mahbub, 54, and former general manager Datuk Faizoull Ahmad, 58, after finding that the prosecution had succeeded in establishing a prima facie case against them.
The court fixed five days from March 23 to hear their defence.
Muhammad Sufi was charged with dishonestly giving approval for payment of RM25,999,000 and RM21,625,500 respectively, without the approval of the Felda Board of Directors or the Felda Tender Committee.
He allegedly committed the offences at Wisma Felda, Jalan Perumahan Gurney, between Jan 13, 2014, and July 23, 2014.
The charge, under Section 409 of Penal Code, provides an imprisonment for up to 20 years, with whipping and fine, upon conviction.
Faizoull was charged with two counts of abetting Muhammad Sufi under Section 109 of the Penal Code which provides for similar punishment upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Afzainizam Abdul Aziz prosecuted, while Muhammad Sufi and Faizoull were represented by lawyers Heather Marie Anthony and Azad Basher, respectively.