M Sentil Kumar, 38, pleaded not guilty to all the charges accusing him of submitting workers’ verification forms for claims ranging from RM3,500 to RM31,600 for 21 people who were not on the payroll of Global Tech (S) Auto Supply and Global Green Soil Plantation.

He was charged with allegedly committing the offences at Wisma Perkeso here on May 27 and June 24, 2021, under Section 18 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009.

The offences are punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of not less than five times the value of the false claim, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

Sentil also pleaded not guilty to 14 alternative charges of passing off the falsified documents as genuine, under Section 471 of the Penal Code, which is punishable by up to two years’ imprisonment, or fine, or both, upon conviction.

MACC deputy public prosecutor Rifah Izzati Abdul Mutalif requested that bail be set at RM55,000 with additional conditions of reporting to the MACC office once a month and surrendering his passport to the court.

Sentil’s lawyer T Vijaya Sandran pleaded for a more reasonable bail as his client had already paid bail for a prior case and adhered to the additional conditions as well.

Judge Ahmad Zamzani Zain allowed bail at RM55,000 with one surety and set Dec 22 for mention of the case.

On Oct 24, the accused pleaded not guilty to four charges of submitting falsified claims amounting to RM59,560 under the same programme two years ago.