Duo freed from joint charge of receiving bribe
A former Bank Rakyat staff and a freelancer were freed from a joint charge of receiving RM7,000 gratification for managing a personal loan.
Sessions Court Judge Nixon Kennedy Kumbong discharged and acquitted Muhammad Safwan Isnen and Azzry Eyizamshah Mohamad Arifin, both 28, without calling for their defence, yesterday.
He ruled that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case for the offence charged against them.
They were alleged to have received a bribe of RM7,000 from one Afizi Ahmad, with RM3,000 of the money given to Azzry as replacement for settling Afizi's credit card debt amounting to RM2,776.25 on September 2, 2016.
Meanwhile, the balance of RM4,000 was alleged to be a reward for Muhammad Safwan and Azzry to manage Afizi's personal loan until it was approved by Bank Rakyat.
The alleged offence took place at a food and beverage outlet at 1Borneo Hypermall here at 10.13pm on September 6, 2016.
They face a joint charge under Section 16(a)(A)of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, which provides for a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount of bribe received or RM10,000, whichever is higher.
The prosecution had called 22 witnesses testifying against the accused persons during the trial.
Deputy public prosecutor Rustam Sanip from MACC acted for the prosecution while counsel P.J Perira and Luke Ressa Balang represented Safwan and Azzry, respectively.