Three charged in Ops Sky for receiving RM450,000 in bribes

A bank officer and two others face charges for allegedly accepting RM449,998 in bribes to process ineligible loan applications.

SHAH ALAM: Three individuals, including a bank marketing officer, were charged separately at the Sessions Court here today for allegedly accepting RM449,998.61 in bribes as an inducement to process personal loan financing applications for customers exceeding their eligible credit limits.

Mohd Kamaruzaman Zainudin, 40, faces 30 charges for accepting cash bribes of RM378,166.20 from a 42-year-old man while serving as a marketing officer at a Bangi bank branch.

The accused allegedly accepted the bribes to process a loan application for the customer despite knowing that the customer’s concurrent applications at other banks resulted in obtaining multiple loans exceeding their authorised credit limit.

He was accused of committing the offences at a company on Persiaran Kewajipan, Subang Jaya, between December 2021 and December 2024.

ALSO READ: MACC concludes Ops Sky and Ops Sohor probes with multiple charges expected

He was charged under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of not less than five times the sum or value of the bribe, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

Separately, Muhammad Hafiz Farhan Mohd Nor Izham, 30, faces nine charges. The former marketing officer at a Kota Damansara bank branch is accused of accepting RM46,092.40 in bribes, allegedly transferred online into his bank account by a 32-year-old woman and two companies to process ineligible loan applications.

He is accused of committing these offences at a bank on Jalan Kepayang, Klang, between Dec 6, 2023, and Aug 7, 2024, under the same section and Act.

A third individual, Muhammad Najmi Mu’az Pekan, 34, faced four charges. The former consumer financing executive at a bank in Shah Alam is accused of accepting bribes totalling RM25,740.01 from a company and the same female individual for a similar purpose.

ALSO READ: MACC Op Grip focuses on recovering lost revenue through asset seizure

This follows previous charges laid against him on Oct 17 at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court, for two counts of accepting RM5,567 in bribes from the same company and woman between March 6 and June 6, 2024.

MACC deputy public prosecutor Asmaa’ Zamri proposed bail at RM100,000 for Mohd Kamaruzaman, and RM25,000 each for Muhammad Hafiz Farhan and Muhammad Najmi Mu’az.

She also requested additional conditions of surrendering their passports, reporting regularly to the Putrajaya MACC office, and a prohibition against intimidating prosecution witnesses.

Sessions Judge Awang Kerisnada Awang Mahmud granted RM30,000 bail for Mohd Kamaruzaman, RM10,000 for Muhammad Hafiz Farhan, and RM7,000 for Muhammad Najmi Mu’az. He then scheduled mention dates for all cases on Dec 9 and 17. 

ALSO READ: MACC busts tyre smuggling ring causing RM350 million tax losses

Mohd Kamaruzaman was represented by lawyer Chua Yong Yi, while lawyers R Palaya and Abdul Hakeem Aiman appeared for Muhammad Hafiz Farhan and Muhammad Najmi Mu’az, respectively.

This case stemmed from ‘Operasi Sky’, an investigation into bribery and money laundering involving financial consultancy firms, which was publicly reported on Sept 9. 

In a previous statement, MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki revealed that this operation would lead to approximately 20 bank officers being charged under the MACC Act 2009 by late September or early October. – Bernama