PETALING JAYA: A police corporal was charged for three counts of soliciting and accepting bribes at the sessions court in Alor Star, Kedah today.

The New Straits Times reported that the incidents took place two years ago, as an incentive to not report the arrest of an individual suspected to be in possession of drugs.

Sazali Lokhman, 32, pleaded not guilty and claimed trial to the three charges in front of judge N. Priscilla Hemamalini.

On the first count, Sazali was charged with soliciting a bribe amounting to RM40,000 from a 26-year-old woman and charged on the second count for allegedly accepting RM10,000 from the same woman.

The offences took place Nov 29 2022 at Jalan Industri Darulaman 1 in Kubang Pasu at around 2pm.

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The third charge involved the accused accepting RM9,000 from a 30-year-old man at Jalan Langgar in Alor Star at around 9pm on Nov 30 2022.

The three offences were charged under Section 17(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act which carries a prison sentence of up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount solicited or RM10,000 upon conviction.

The judge set RM20,000 bail for all three charges and the case has been set for August 18 for re-mention.

The case was prosecuted by MACC prosecution officer Mohd Zulfadli Azharudin while the accused was represented by lawyer Muhamad Samsul Nizam Sohhimi.

Sazali posted bail.

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