KUALA LUMPUR: The father of Nour Rania Asyifaa Yuseri (Baby Syifaa) pleaded not guilty in the Magistrate's Court today to charges of misappropriating funds worth RM67,000 last year.
The accused, Yuseri Yusoff, 41, made the plea after charges were brought against him before Magistrate Illi Marisqa Khalizan.
"I plead not guilty," he said.
According to the charges, the father of one is accused of misappropriating RM67,000 belonging to a woman at premises on Jalan Wangsa Delima 6, Wangsa Maju, from July 20 to October 12 last year.
The accused, who is also an activist, is charged under Section 403 of the Penal Code, which carries a penalty of a jail term between six months and five years, whipping, and a fine upon conviction.
During today's proceedings, Deputy Public Prosecutor Hamizah Hisan suggested bail of RM15,000 with one surety for the accused.
However, lawyer Gaithri Thomas, representing the accused, appealed for the bail amount to be reduced on the basis that the accused, who works as an activist, has no fixed income and needs to support a nine-year-old daughter who is still in school.
Following this, Illi Marisqa allowed the bail to be reduced to RM6,000 with one surety and fixed the next mention for August 26.
Last Tuesday, police confirmed that an arrest was made against the man at 2:45 pm by the Commercial Crime Investigation Department to facilitate investigations into a fraud case involving legal fees.
The man stands accused of embezzling public donations intended to support the family in obtaining legal representation after Baby Syifaa died in a care centre in February 2022.
The donations were allegedly directed into a bank account linked to a company that he established.
Meanwhile, Hafiz Norkhan, the former attorney observing for Baby Syifaa's family, denied that the embezzled funds were used to initiate work on the case.
He said he was unaware his name was being used until informed by other complainants, prompting him to file a police report.
Wangsa Maju District Police Chief Assistant Commissioner Mohd Lazim Ismail said the man tested positive for methamphetamine when detained.