KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 5 — A director of a travel agency pleaded not guilty in three separate Sessions Courts here today to three counts of receiving deposits from a retiree amounting to RM520,000 without a valid licence.

Abdul Halim Navaghani, 42, made the plea after the three charges were read out against him before Judge Datuk Ahmad Kamal Arifin Ismail, Judge Datin Sabariah Othman and Judge Hasbullah Adam.

For all the charges, Abdul Halim is alleged to have received a deposit from Zainal Abidin Abdul Rasol, 68, amounting to RM520,000 through seven CIMB checks at two offices at Solaris Mont Kiara here, between June 19, 2015 to Jan 10, 2017.

The offence under Section 137 (1) of the Financial Services Act 2013 is punishable under Section 137 (2) of the same act which provides for a maximum jail term of 10 years or a fine not exceeding RM50 million or both, upon conviction.

It is understood that the deposit received by the accused was related to investment for his travel company.

The three courts allowed the accused bail amounting to RM7,000 with one surety for all the charges along with an additional condition that the accused had to report to the nearest police station once a month.

Ahmad Kamal and Sabariah also allowed the prosecution’s application to transfer the cases to be heard together before Hasbullah.

Hasbullah set Feb 5 for re-mention.

Deputy public prosecutors Nurul Khairiyah Samsudin and Afiq Nazrin Zaharinan appeared for the prosecution while the accused was represented by lawyer Hazeeq Fadzli Hasrul Sani. — Bernama