KOTA KINABALU: A contractor has been jailed for a day and fined RM48,000 after pleading guilty to eight charges of using false documents to make a claim worth RM172,980 from a government agency in 2018.

       Hassan Ho Abdullah, 36, entered the plea after the charges were read to him before judge Abu Bakat Manat at the Kota Kinabalu Special Corruption Court here on Wednesday (April 27).

       Based on the charge sheet, the accused was charged with using a false document as a genuine declaration letter and confirmation from the Napson Service Station at the office of the Kudat branch of the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry on Nov 27, 2018.

       The documents were used for a company Setia Gemilang Enterprise to make a claim under the Community Drumming Project under the National Goods Price Council 2018.

       The claim was submitted to the ministry's Kudat branch office.

       The accused submitted four claims for RM24,660 in August 2018, RM27,360 in September and October, and RM9,180 in November that same year.

       The document was also used to make a similar project claim for a acompany Sinaran Transporter involving a value of RM30,780 in August, RM27,180 in September, RM18,360 in October and RM8,100 in November, also all in 2018.

       He was charged under Section 471 of the Penal Code which provides for imprisonment of up to two years or a fine or both if convicted.

       The court then sentenced him to one day in jail and a fine of RM6,000 for each charge for a total of RM48,000 after he pleaded guilty to all the charges.

       Failure to pay the fine meant additional jail time of 32 months.

       Hassan paid the fines.

       The prosecution was led by Rekhraj Singh while Hassan was represented by counsel from Nohin & Partners.