The suspended Commercial Crimes Investigation Department director Ramli Yusoff today faced a fourth charge - for abusing his power in using the police plane for his personal business interest.

The top cop is already facing corruption charges for not declaring shares and property and the new charge was levelled against him in a Sabah court.

The latest accusations stem from when he was police commissioner in Sabah and it is alleged he used a police aircraft to inspect one of his private land projects in the state.

He pleaded not guilty before Kota Kinabalu Sessions Court judge Duncan Sikodol, who had then fixed Feb 18 to 22 next year for the hearing. Ramli, 55, was also released on a RM10,000 bail in one surety.

Ramli is accused of using a police Cessna Caravan plane to conduct an aerial survey on two plots of land at Ulu Tengku in Lahad Datu with two of his partners in a company Syarikat Kinsajaya Sdn Bhd.

The former Sabah police chief allegedly committed the offence at the Police Air Wing base in Tanjung Aru in Kota Kinabalu at about 7.50am on June 15 this year.

The two company directors named in the charge under Section 16 (1) of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1997 were former Sabah Fifth Brigade Commander Brig Jen (Rtd) Muhamad Yasin and businessman Khalid Mohamad.

Ramil faces a jail term of 14 days to a maximum of 20 years and a minimum fine RM10,000 fine or both if convicted under the charge.

Assets-related charges

Earlier this month at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court, Ramli was charged with two counts of failing to disclose his assets and faced a third charge for being involved in business despite being a civil servant.

It was alleged that he failed to divulge that his sisters owned two office units allegedly on his behalf. He also faces charges of being a company director while still in the civil service, and failing to reveal details of shared ownership in a property company.

Ramli, the country's third highest ranking police officer, claimed trial to all the three charges.

The trial for the first two charges will take place on Jan 15-18 next year while the case involving the third charge will be heard on March 3-7.

If found guilty of the first two charges, Ramli could face a jail term of between 14 days to 20 years. He will also be liable to be fined up to RM100,000.

For the third charge, a conviction would mean a maximum one-year jail sentence and/or a fine.

Ramli has been suspended from his post after he was charged in Kuala Lumpur. He is due to retire next month.

Ramli held a press conference last month denying allegations of impropriety and claimed the Anti-Corruption Agency had been unfair by leaking to the press information about a probe into him.

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