NFC scandal: Shahrizat’s husband charged

The NFCorp chairman has pleaded not guilty to all the four charges under the Penal Code and Companies Act.

UPDATED

KUALA LUMPUR: National Feedlot Corporation (NFCorp) chairman Mohamad Salleh Ismail was today charged at the Jalan Duta Sessions Court in connection with the National Feedlot Centre (NFC) controversy.

Mohamad Salleh, 64, was slapped with four separate charges – two counts under Section 409 of the Penal Code for criminal breach of trust and another two counts under the Companies Act – involving the alleged misuse of about RM49 million.

Looking calm in a suit, Mohamad Salleh, the husband of Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, smiled and shook hands in the packed courtroom. He later pleaded not guilty to all four charges when it was read out to him.

The first charge was that Mohamad Salleh, as a director of NFCorp entrusted with the assets of the company in a CIMB Islamic Bank Bhd account in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, had committed criminal breach of trust when he dishonestly misappropriated RM9,758,140 (about 9.7 million) as a partial payment for two units of the One Menerung luxury condominum for the National Meat & Livestock Corporation Sdn Bhd.


He had allegedly committed the offence via four cheques between Dec 1 and 4 in 2009. This charge falls under Section 409 of the Penal Code.

The second charge was that he had made the same purchase of the two units in One Menerung without the permission of the company’s general meeting and had obtained direct profits. This charge comes under Section 132(2)(a) of the Companies Act.

Mohamad Salleh’s third charge read that he had committed CBT when he dishonestly misappropriated a sum of RM40 million when he transferred the amount into the account belonging to National Meat & Lifestock Corporation between May 6 and 8, 2008.

The fourth charge was that he had obtained a direct profit from the said RM40 million and therefore violated Section 132(2)(a) of the Companies Act.

Under Section 409, Mohamad Salleh faces a jail term of between two and 20 years, caning and can also be fined if convicted. He can also be jailed five years and fined up to RM30,000 for each charge under the Companies Act.

Sessions judge SM Komathy Suppiah fixed bail at RM500,000 with one surety for all charges. Case mention will be on April 13.

Shahrizat was seen in the court but ignored reporters when asked to comment.