High Court Charges Imam For Pocketing Mosque Fund
By Ignatius Stephen

Bandar Seri Begawan - An Imam who pocketed the mosque Friday collection box money has been charged before the Brunei High Court with Criminal Breach of Trust.

Awang Zawai bin Haji Nordin, 36, Imam Grade III at the Sungei Liang Mosque, helped himself to $15,285 mosque money during several occasions, Judge Hairularni heard. If found guilty, he could face up to 10 years in jail and fined.

The Imam, who has since been suspended on half pay, is facing four charges and is pleading guilty to all. He said he used the money for his personal expenses.

Imam Zawai was a religous teacher at Maktab Perguruan Ugama Seri Begawan since July 1, 1995 then became an Imam Class III for Kampung Sungei Liang Mosque on January 1, 2002 with a pay of $1,810 a month, the court heard.

He was a mosque treasurer responsible for compiling financial statements and handing it over to the Mosque Affairs District Officer monthly. He was also to collect the monies deposited into the collection box after Friday prayers and remitting it into the mosque bank account at IBB.

A reminder was sent to the Imam on May 15, 2004 which that no Financial Statement had reached the Pengawal Hal Ehwal Masjid (Controller of Mosque Affairs) for January and December 2003 and January to April 2004.

A second reminder was sent on August 17, 2004 had been forwarded from July and October 2003 and January 2004 to July 2004.

A third reminder was sent to the Imam on November 28, 2005 for June to October 2005 statements. The Controller of Mosque Affairs then asked two officials, Haji Sahari bin Haji Nassar and Haji Suhaimi bin Haji Mohd Noor to visit the Imam.

An examination of the mosque finances was then done and was found that the monthly financial statement for Sungai Liang Mosque was not.placed on the mosque notice board for public information.

All files were not in the mosque office but at the Imam's house. The total in the monthly statement did not tally with the bank statement. The total amount in the financial statement was $18,420.60 but the amount of money in the IBB statement was B$427.92.

The collection from Friday prayers had not been banked in since April 2003. The Imam confessed that he had withdrawn and used the money in the IBB Bank for his own personal usage.

He was stripped as Treasurer of Kampong Sungai Liang Mosque on December 15, 2005. In an undated letter he agreed to pay the missing money back by December 17, 2005.

According to another letter dated December 24, 2005, he proposed to the Ministry of Religious Affairs to pay back the monies owed by installments of $100 a month, and B$1,500 every bonus time.

The Imam has been suspended from his job since December 17, 2005 on half pay, the court heard. On February 14 this year, the Religious Affairs Ministry wrote to the Commissioner of Police.

The Imam in his police statement admitted to the offence saying that he used the money for his own personal expenses.

He took $15,285 in criminal breach of trust. He has no previous convictions in Brunei, the court heard. The court postponed judgment.

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