Kota Kinabalu: A police sergeant was acquitted by the Special Corruption Court here of a charge of receiving a RM4,000 bribe from a man in exchange for securing the release of a detainee.
Judge Elsie Primus discharged and acquitted Sazaly Sahaji without calling for his defence on the charge under Section 17(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009.
The court ruled that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against Sazaly.
Sazaly was accused of accepting RM4,000 in cash from Al Sadam Madusin at a restaurant in Kepayan at about 10am on July 28, 2024, as an inducement to secure the release of a detainee known as Disa.
On Nov 5, 2025, he pleaded not guilty to the charge, which was brought under Section 17(a) of the MACC Act 2009 and is punishable under Section 24(1) of the sameAct. Upon conviction, the offence carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher.
The prosecution called five witnesses during the trial.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Nurul Shafeerah Mad Iskim appeared for the prosecution, while Sazaly was represented by counsel Sylvester Kuan.
