Lee Son Hong, who was previously with WRP Asia Pacific Bhd, was charged with three counts of submitting false claims amounting to RM8.4 million, through false invoices in the name of Tower Success Group Ltd.

The prosecution alleged that the invoices were for non-existing supply of pre-fabricated structural steel for a surgical packing plant. The said offence took place between May 27 and Dec 22, 2015 at WRP Asia Pacific’s office in Sepang.

Lee was also charged with eight counts of CBT, in which he is accused of misappropriating a total of RM137 million of company funds between Dec 12, 2013 and Jan 18, 2018.

His wife, Too Sooi Keng, was charged with seven charges of abetting him in the CBT offences.

If convicted for submitting false claims under Section 18 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act, Lee will face a maximum jail term of 20 years, or a fine not less than five times the alleged amount.

He will also face a jail term of between two and 20 years and a fine if he is found guilty under Section 409 of Penal Code for CBT.

The couple pleaded not guilty to all the charges before judge Rozila Salleh.

Rozila granted a bail of RM1.5 million each to Lee and Too, and instructed them to surrender their passports pending the disposal of their cases. The court set Jan 4 for case mention.

Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akrab Gharib urged the court to impose a RM2 million bail for Lee, on grounds that the couple has children living in Hong Kong and the UK.

“There is a flight risk after taking (into) account that the children are residing overseas,” he said.

Fellow prosecutor Mukhzany Fariz Mohd Mokhtar said the prosecution was asking for a RM1.5 million bail for Too.

The couple’s lawyers, PG Cyril and Nur’Aminahtul Mardiah Md Nor, argued the amount was excessive and that they were no longer working.