A 54-year-old special assistant to a member of parliament today pleaded not guilty to two charges of dishonestly misappropriating funds totalling RM19,500 and was ordered to stand trial starting this Aug 27.

Abah Ugi pleaded not guilty at the Special Court for Corruption in Kuching to the charges read under Section 403 of the Penal Code before judge Nixon Kennedy Kumbong.

The judge allowed him to be released on a court bail of RM10,000.

In the first charge, Abah, the special aide to Sri Aman Member of Parliament Masir Kujat, had allegedly dishonestly misappropriated RM9,500 that was meant for upgrading and repairing Rumah Panjang Jeni, a longhouse in Pantu, Sri Aman.

He allegedly committed the offence at a hotel at Jalan Ban Hock in Kuching on Oct 28, 2008.

He was also charged with misappropriating RM10,000 in funds supposedly for the upgrading of a road for Rumah Panjang Tana, another longhouse in Pantu, Sri Aman.

The offence under the second charge was allegedly committed by Abah at a bank in Jalan Bukit Mata in Kuching on May 15, 2009.

Section 403 of the Penal Code provides for imprisonment of between six months and five years, and whipping. Those convicted under this section are also liable to a fine.

DPP Law Chin How appeared for the prosecution in the case while lawyer Melaka Nisau represented the accused.

- Bernama