Kota Kinabalu: Two Pakistani grocery store traders were each fined RM10,000 or one month jail by the Sessions Court here for offering RM7,000 bribe to a police officer, two years ago.
Zia Ulla Mir Akbar Khan, 31, and Farman Ali Muhammad Hakim, 37, pleaded guilty before Judge Abu Bakar Manat to corruptly giving the money to a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) as a reward not to take action against them for the offence of having contraband cigarettes between 3pm and 5pm on April 20, 2020 at Jalan Ulu Putatan in Penampang.
They were charged under Section 214 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34 of the same Code.
The court heard from the prosecution that on the said day, the duo tried to evade a police roadblock and was later found to have defied the Movement Control Order (MCO) by being in the car with more than one person.
During an inspection on their vehicle, the police found various untaxed cigarettes, following which the duo were then detained.
While in the police vehicle on the way to Penampang police station, the duo offered RM7,000 to the DSP as a reward so that action is not taken against them for having the untaxed cigarettes.
The court heard that the duo had been charged in the Magistrate’s Court on May 4, 2020 for defying the Movement Control Order (MCO) and had been jailed 14 days and fined RM800 each for the offence.
They were later handed to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for the corrupt practice charges, said the prosecution.
Counsel Muhamad Amirul Hj Amin, representing Zia and Farman requested for leniency by saying that they were both married and have children and that they regretted their offence and promised not to commit similar offence.
MACC prosecuting officer Norsham Saharom applied for a deterrent sentence.
Both Zia and Farman paid the fines.
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