KUALA TERENGGANU, Aug 28 — A former council member of the Terengganu Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (Maidam) and his wife were fined RM10,000 and RM16,000 respectively by the Kuala Terengganu Sessions Court today after being found guilty of accepting bribes and submitting false claims related to zakat distribution.

Judge Mohd Azhar Othman sentenced Datuk Mohamad Zahari Harun, 64, and his wife Lydia Irmawati Mahmud, 41, after they pleaded guilty to all alternative charges read out to them separately.

Mohamad Zahari faced one alternative charge, while Lydia Irmawati, who owns the zakat collection company Amcare Agency, faced four alternative charges.

Based on the alternative charge against Mohamad Zahari, he was found guilty under Section 26 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 for accepting RM5,500 in cash from his wife on July 15, 2020, at Maidam.

For three alternative charges against Lydia Irmawati, she was found guilty of deceiving the assistant accountant of the Maidam Zakat Management Division regarding zakat repayment claims totaling RM3,063.

All offences under Section 417 of the Penal Code were committed between December 2020 and September 2021 at the Maidam Zakat Management Division Office, here.

The woman was also found guilty of one alternative charge of deceiving the same assistant accountant regarding a commission payment claim for her company amounting to RM3,167.56 from zakat funds totalling RM50,681 paid by Felda Kerteh 2 to Maidam, when the zakat funds were charitable contributions, making her ineligible to claim a commission.

The offence under Section 417 of the Penal Code was committed on December 20, 2020, at the Maidam Zakat Management Division Office.

Mohd Azhar sentenced Mohamad Zahari to a fine of RM10,000 in default two months’ imprisonment, while his wife was fined RM4,000 for each alternative charge against her, in default two months’ imprisonment for each charge.

The court also ordered that RM6,919.66 from the Amcare Agency bank account be forfeited to the Malaysian government, and the passports and bail money of both accused be returned.

Before sentencing Mohamad Zahari, the judge stated, among other things, that the accused’s guilty plea had saved everyone’s time, and he hoped the punishment would serve as a lesson to him and others.

In sentencing Lydia Irmawati, Mohd Azhar said: "Such offences, if not curbed, can lead to greater harm to society. The court prays to Allah that this punishment serves as a lesson to you and others.”

The prosecution was handled by Deputy Public Prosecutor Farah Yasmin Salleh, while both accused were represented by lawyer Azrul Zulkifli Stork of Azharudin & Associates. — Bernama