TAWAU: A police officer was freed from two charges of accepting and obtaining bribes amounting RM12,000 as inducement to not take against a man who allegedly made false complaint, without his defence being called.
Sessions Court Judge Ahmad Faizadh Yahaya discharged and acquitted Inspector Mohamad Soffie Jalal, 44, after ruling that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against Mohamad.
On the first count, Mohamad as an Investigation and Legal Officer of the Criminal Investigation Division, was accused of corruptly agreeing to accept bribe of RM5,000 in cash from Mohd Ridzwan Ladja as an inducement to refrain from doing an act in connection with the affairs of your principal in which not to take action against Mohd Ridzwan for making a false complaint, an offence under Section 182 of the Penal Code, and to return to him the seized item in the case which was 22.5 kilogrammes of swiftlet nests.
He allegedly committed the offence at 3.30am on March 1, 2021 at the Investigating Officer’s Office in Lahad Datu District Police Headquarters.
The offence under Section 17(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 and punishable under Section 24(1) of the Act provides for a jail term of up to 20 years, and a fine of not less than five times the amount or value of the gratification, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
On the second count, Mohamad allegedly obtained for himself another bribe of RM7,000 from Mohd Ridzwan for the similar purpose between 8.10pm and 8.30pm on March 4, 2021 at the same place.
The prosecution had called 21 witnesses during the hearing.
Counsel Edward Paul represented Mohamad.
