KUALA LUMPUR: A former lawyer has claimed trial at separate Sessions Courts here to 18 counts of criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving RM1.34mil from a law firm.

       Loo Keong Loong, 45, pleaded not guilty to all the charges before judges Kamarudin Kamsun and Sabariah Othman yesterday.

       According to the 18 charges, Loo, as a partner at Messrs Yap & Loo, was entrusted with monies in the firm’s client accounts.

       He had allegedly committed CBT by taking a total of RM1,348,584.50 through 18 cheques for his personal use.

       He allegedly committed the offences at Messrs Yap & Loo in Jalan Solaris Mont Kiara here between Jan 6 and Feb 23, 2016.

       The charges under Section 409 of the Penal Code provides for imprisonment of no less than two years and a maximum of 20 years, with whipping and fine, if convicted.

       Deputy Public Prosecutor Nurliyana Mohd Jafri proposed bail at RM60,000 in one surety for the 12 charges in Kamarudin’s court while Deputy Public Prosecutor Nur Aqilah Ishak proposed bail at RM36,000 in one surety for the remaining six charges before Sabariah.

       Lawyer Tan Teck Yew, who is representing the accused, pleaded for a lower bail amount as his client was now working as clerk with a monthly income of only RM2,000.

       The courts allowed a total of RM70,000 bail in three sureties for all charges.

       The accused was also ordered to report himself monthly to the nearest police station and not to harass the witnesses in the case.

       Loo was also instructed to surrender his passport to the court pending the completion of the case.

       The case has been fixed for mention on Jan 21.