KOTA KINABALU: A 41-year-old civil servant, on Thursday, was acquitted of a corruption charge involving RM22,500 after the Sessions Court ruled there was no prima facie case against him.
Judge Jason Juga discharged and acquitted Shahrum Radzlee Samlih, formerly Chief Assistant Director of the Sabah Town and Regional Planning Department, saying the prosecution had not proven key elements of the charge.
Shahrum had been accused of corruptly accepting money from Athanasius John Malis as a reward for signing a zoning confirmation letter for a land lot in Kampung Bantayan without the necessary approvals.
The court found that while Shahrum’s position as a government officer was not disputed, there were doubts over the evidence regarding whether he had agreed to accept the alleged gratification.
The case saw 28 prosecution witnesses testify, with Deputy Public Prosecutor Nurul Izzati Sapifee representing the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and Shahrum defended by counsel Hamid Ismail.
Judge Jason Juga discharged and acquitted Shahrum Radzlee Samlih, formerly Chief Assistant Director of the Sabah Town and Regional Planning Department, saying the prosecution had not proven key elements of the charge.
Shahrum had been accused of corruptly accepting money from Athanasius John Malis as a reward for signing a zoning confirmation letter for a land lot in Kampung Bantayan without the necessary approvals.
The court found that while Shahrum’s position as a government officer was not disputed, there were doubts over the evidence regarding whether he had agreed to accept the alleged gratification.
The case saw 28 prosecution witnesses testify, with Deputy Public Prosecutor Nurul Izzati Sapifee representing the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and Shahrum defended by counsel Hamid Ismail.