MELAKA: A police sergeant pleaded not guilty, at the Ayer Keroh Sessions Court, here today, to two counts of accepting bribes three years ago.
On the first charge, the accused, Mohd Hazwan Ahad, 36, was alleged to have received a bribe of RM2,000 from Hasnah Ahmad Shah, as an inducement to not take legal action against Julhashfizan Abdullah, who is Hasnah’s son, under Section 15 (1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
The accused, who was on duty at the Narcotics Crime Investigation Division of the Melaka Tengah district police headquarters, was alleged to have committed the offence on March 9, 2021, at 3 pm, at a house in Taman Rambai Idaman, Melaka Tengah.
The charge was framed under Section 17(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, and can be punished under Section 24 of the same law, which provides for a maximum imprisonment of 20 years and a fine not less than five times the amount or value of the bribe, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
Muhamad Hazwan is also facing an alternative charge of receiving RM2,000 in cash, which the accused knew that it had to do with his official work.
He was accused of having committed the offences at the same location and date. He was charged under Section 165 of the Penal Code, and if found guilty can be punished with a maximum imprisonment of two years or a fine, or both.
MACC deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Azriff Firdaus Mohamad Ali proposed bail of RM10,000, with additional conditions that the accused must report to the Melaka MACC office once a month and surrender his passport to the court.
Lawyer Mohd Hazrin Alif Wahab, representing the accused, appealed for a minimum bail.
Judge Elesabet Paya Wan then set bail of RM5,000 in one surety for both charges, and allowed additional conditions.
The court set Feb 21 for mention and submission of documents.–Bernama
