Kota Kinabalu: A 29-year-old civil servant was charged with receiving a bribe of RM1,500 from a man as inducement not to take action against a boat and a complainant who have expired boat licence.
Jazul Abdullah pleaded not guilty before Sessions Court Judge Abu Bakar Manat, to the charge against him, Thursday.
Jazul, as enforcement of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), is accused of receiving the bribe from Leonard Lee Yin Leong, as a reward not to take action against the boat and the complainant for having expired boat licence at 7.30pm on March 17, 2021 at the parking lot at the Sabah Credit office in Alamesra, here.
The offence under Section 17(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 and punishable under Section 24(1) of the same Act, provides for an imprisonment for up to 20 years and a fine of RM10,000 or not less than five times the amount of the bribe, whichever is higher, if found guilty.
The court set Sept 6 for pre-trial case management and the officer was released on a bail of RM8,000 with RM3,000 deposited in a local surety pending the disposal of his case.
Jazul was also ordered to report to MACC’s office here once in two months and his passport if any, to be impounded by the court.
The court also warned Jazul to not tamper with the prosecution witnesses.
MACC Prosecuting Officer Norsham Saharom appeared for the prosecution while Jazul was not represented.
Meanwhile, a company was fined a total of RM6,000 for having unregistered products.
Sessions Court Judge Ummu Khaltom Abdul Samad meted out the sentence to Oni Global (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd after its representative admitted to two charges against the company.
On the first count, the company was fined RM3,000 for having 12 units of Trimax Omega-3 Fish Oil which were not registered to the Health Ministry, at 12pm on May 4, 2021 at the company premises in Suria Sabah shopping complex, here.
On the second count, the company was ordered to pay a fine of RM3,000 for having 13 units of the same unregistered products at the company premises in 1Borneo Hypermall, near here.
Prosecuting Officer Lim Lay Peng from the Pharmacy Department prosecuted the case.
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