KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 25 — A personal assistant to the director of a defence consultancy firm was charged in the Sessions Court here today on two counts of criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving RM1.58 million of the company’s funds, last year.

Tan I-Lyn, 39, who is also the company’s administrative manager pleaded not guilty after the charges against her were read before Judge Datin Sabariah Othman.

Tan was charged as an employee at Ada Vinci Global Sdn Bhd — who was entrusted with managing the company’s finances — of committing CBT, by taking RM58,354 and RM1,518,422.88 belonging to the company for her own use.

She was accused of committing the act at the company’s premises in Menara YNH Kiara 163, Mont Kiara, between December 3, 2021, and December 10, 2022, according to Section 408 of the Penal Code which carries a maximum prison sentence of 14 years, with whipping and a fine, if convicted.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Noor Shakira Aliana Alias suggested a bail amount of RM120,000 for both charges with the additional condition that the accused’s passport be handed over to the court until the case is resolved.

Lawyer Azzuan Shah Abd Razak who represented the accused requested a lower bail on the grounds that his client had to support her parents, and that her bank account had been frozen since December last year.

“The client also suffers from diabetes and high blood pressure while her parents, both 75, are in Penang and could not be present in court today due to health and age factors,” said the lawyer.

The court allowed the accused to be bailed at RM70,000 for both charges along with the additional condition proposed by the prosecution, and set September 27 for mention of the case. — Bernama