Kota Kinabalu sessions court judge Elsie Primus ordered Abd Rasad Sadikir, 57, to serve three years in jail if he fails to pay the amount.

Rasad was fined RM16,000 for two counts of using forged documents to obtain government aid at the state finance ministry office between April and July 2021.

The charge under Section 471 of the Penal Code is punishable by up to two years in prison, a fine, or both, upon conviction.

He was fined another RM16,000 for eight counts of abetting a contractor in submitting forged documents to obtain payments for the supply of equipment for the school.

He was charged with committing the offence between October and December 2018 at the general office of the school.

The charge was framed under Section 107(c) of the Penal Code, read with Section 471, which provides for up to seven years in prison and a fine, upon conviction.