A grade 22 immigration officer pleads not guilty to 53 counts of graft and money laundering involving RM789,100, while his wife is charged with using illegal funds to buy gold.
SHAH ALAM: An immigration officer has been charged with 53 counts of corruption and money laundering involving a total of RM789,100.
Mohamad Fazli Abdul Rahim, 46, pleaded not guilty to all charges at the Sessions Court here. His wife, Suhana Ismail, 44, was also charged with using proceeds from illegal activities to purchase gold.
Of the 53 charges, 42 were for corruption involving RM510,500 in alleged bribes. The prosecution alleges the bribes were transferred online by a foreign national, a company, and a local woman’s bank account.
The offences were allegedly committed at bank branches in Subang Jaya and Telok Panglima Garang between February 2023 and August 2024. The inducement was for allowing foreigners to enter Malaysia without following proper immigration procedures.
Mohamad Fazli also faces seven money laundering charges for allegedly transferring RM278,600 in illegal proceeds to three individuals. These transactions are said to have occurred between July 2022 and August 2024.
Suhana pleaded not guilty to seven counts of using RM125,850 from illegal activities to buy gold. The alleged offences took place at a bank in Telok Panglima Garang between August 2023 and February 2024.
Judge Datuk Mohd Nasir Nordin set bail for Mohamad Fazli’s corruption charges at RM20,000 with one surety. The court imposed conditions requiring him to report to the MACC and not interfere with witnesses.
For the money laundering charges, bail was set at RM24,000 with two sureties. Suhana was granted bail of RM40,000 with two sureties by Judge Awang Kerisnada Awang Mahmud.
If convicted of corruption, Mohamad Fazli faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of at least five times the bribe amount or RM10,000. The money laundering charges carry a maximum 15-year sentence and a fine of five times the illicit proceeds or RM3 million.
The cases for both accused have been fixed for mention on March 10.
