BUTTERWORTH: An assistant enforcement officer of the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) at the Timur Laut branch in Penang was charged in the Sessions Court here today with deceiving a person by claiming to help reduce a compound fine for an offence under the Control of Supplies Act 1961 (Act 122).
The accused, Mohd Zaimi Sham Mahmood, 50, however, pleaded not guilty after the charge was read out before Judge Zulhazmi Abdullah.
According to the charge sheet, Mohd Zaimi Sham, an assistant enforcement officer at KPDN (formerly known as the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs - KPDNHEP), deceived K. Sivapragasam, 45, by persuading him to believe that the Compound Appeal Committee at the KPDN Headquarters in Putrajaya had rejected his appeal, and that the accused could help reduce the compound rate for an offence under the Control of Supplies Act 1961 (Act 122).
Mohd Zaimi Sham was also accused of dishonestly inducing the victim to hand over RM3,000, and the offence was allegedly committed at Jalan Persiaran Bayan Indah, Barat Daya District, around 5.35 p.m to 5.50 pm on May 13, 2022.
The charge was framed under Section 420 of the Penal Code, which carries a penalty of imprisonment for not less than one year and not more than 10 years, along with whipping and a fine, if convicted.
The court set May 29 for re-mention of the case and allowed the accused to be released on bail of RM8,000 with one surety.
The accused was also given additional conditions, requiring him to surrender his passport until the case is settled and report to the nearest Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office every month.
The prosecution was handled by Deputy Public Prosecutor Afiqa Liyana Rozman from the MACC, while the accused was represented by counsel V. Parthipan.
Earlier, Parthipan had requested the court to set a reasonable bail, saying Mohd Zaimi Sham is still supporting his wife and four children who are still studying, with a salary of around RM2,000 per month, and has been working with the government department for 22 years since 2002.
