AN assistant administrative officer at  Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) today pleaded not guilty in the Butterworth Sessions Court to 52 counts of receiving gratification amounting to RM135,445.90.

Zurina Abdul Hamid, 43, made the plea before judge Ahmad Azhari Abdul Hamid.

She was charged with using her position for gratification by submitting documents on delivery order and invoices from  TZP Ventures, a company she has interests in, for payment for supply of office and sports equipment.

The offences were allegedly committed at the USM Sports and Recreation Centre between December 2013 and December 2017.

The charges were framed under Section 23 (1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act which provides for imprisonment for up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the sum of the gratification or RM10,000,  whichever is higher, for the convicted party.

Zurani, represented by lawyer S. Meharaj, was allowed bail at RM24,000 with one surety. She was ordered to surrender her passport to the court and to report to the MACC office every month.

Azlan Basri, from MACC, was the deputy public prosecutor 

The court set November 4 for mention. – Bernama, September 28, 2020.