Sabah Courts Director, Ismail Ibrahim, said the department is not experiencing any problem in refunding bail money deposited with the courts.
He said if procedures were followed, the money could be refunded to the bailor within three weeks after documentation verification.
“There are standard procedures to be followed and once the necessary documents are verified, the claim would be forwarded to the National Accounts Department.
The department will process the payments,” he said, in a statement.
He said following a letter published, “In reference to Another court scandal in Kota Kinabalu Posted: July 8, 2012 in this blog,” in which one “Concerned Bailor” complaining that his bail money refund was delayed.
The concerned bailor had deposited RM1500 to bail a friend charged with an offence under section 15 of the Dangerous Drugs Act.
The bailor said that upon checking, a counter clerk revealed that there was a problem in refunding the sum after a few court staff were found to have used up the bail money with the intention of returning it later.
The bailor was told that one of the staff involved was directed to refund the sum in installments and transferred to the court’s Library as punishment.
Concerned Bailor was also told that the money could only be returned in three months.
“I am, in fact puzzled why no police or MACC report has been lodged by the court administration as the embezzlement involved thousands of Ringgit in Public money.
It is a duty of the Head of Department to report the matter to the police or MACC.
It is a serious offence committed by the staff concerned if what the counter clerk said was true,” Concerned Bailor was quoted as saying.
(This story has come out today in Daily Express Sabah)
Selvarajasomiah's Weblog 
The authorities must take serious on the issue
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That good if the deposit will be returned back
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In civil litigation, under our adversarial system in Court, it’s the parties in a conflict which decide the outcome.
So, the Court functions as the Court of the People. The Judge is the Referee.
However, the lawyers have over the years naively surrendered the powers of the parties in a conflict to the Court.
It’s time to take back those powers by Clients playing a greater and more active role in submissions to Court. Don’t leave everything to lawyers.
Lawyers are needed in Court only to make basic representations, take directions, make opening statements, point out the law, cite authorities (principles from decided cases) and contribute towards the Notes of Proceedings (same as Ruling).
The bulk of the Case is in the submissions where Clients should take the lead role and not leave it to lawyers.
Harris’ defamation case against Dr Chong refers.
Dr Chong’s defence has been badly structured and drafted. That means his lawyers are leaving it to the Court to decide his fate.
In future, only those who get an A+ in the English language and literature, history, Religious Knowlege, Moral Studies, Theology, and Introduction to Law and Political Science in school should be allowed to do law but only after they first secure an Honours degree in the English language and literature.
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Its not the problem of giving back the bail money but the embezzlement of money by the court staff. This Sabah Courts Director, Ismail Ibrahim is trying to worm himself out from the issue. Its better for him to admit there was embezzlement to a tune of RM700,000 and make a police report on it.
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