Enforcement officer pleads not guilty to graft

KUCHING: A Home Ministry enforcement officer pleaded not guilty to three counts of graft involving RM5,250 in the Sessions Court here yesterday.

Omar Mohd Bahari, 53, appeared before Judge Nixon Kennedy Kumbong who released him on RM15,000 bail in two sureties pending disposal of the case.

The judge adjourned the case to June 16 for further mention and hearing was set for Aug 14 this year. In each charge, he allegedly accepted RM1,750 from a complainant on three occasions on June 18, July 7 and 27, 2015.

All the money was received as inducement for the accused not to take legal action against the complainant for allegedly selling illegal VCDs and DVDs - an offence under the Film Censorship Act 2002.

He is charged under Section 17(a) of the Malaysian-Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 and faces a jail term up to 20 years and a fine at least five times the value of the gratifications or RM10,000 whichever is higher per charge.

His family posted the bail yesterday.