A former finance administrative assistant with Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) Accounting Unit was charged in the Sessions Court here today with 20 counts of deceiving his employer by using payment vouchers containing false details worth over RM44,000 on television programmes that did not exist.

Munawer Hasan, 35, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges before Judge Azura Alwi.

For all the charges, he was accused of using 20 sets of payment vouchers worth over RM44,000 with payments ranging from RM1,200 to RM2,500 to four individuals, with the intention to deceive his employer.

It was regarding piecemeal payments in which the accused has reasons to believe that the vouchers contained false details and that the television programmes were never produced.

He is alleged to have committed the offence at RTM Account Unit, Brickfields here between Oct 9, 2014 and Feb 24, 2016 under Section 18 of the MACC Act 2009 and punishable under Section 24(2) of the same act.

The charges provide for a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine, no less than five times the value of the offence committed or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

The court allowed Munawer bail of RM13,000 with one surety and ordered him to report himself at the Putrajaya MACC office once a month.

The court set July 14 for mention. - BERNAMA