Four cops deny corruption charges
KOTA KINABALU: Four police personnel, including a deputy superintendent of police (DSP), claimed trial at the Sessions Court here yesterday to separate gratification charges.
Elly Boniface @ Siu Anak Tugok, 38, Mohd Fa'iz Mohd Yusof, 32, Mohd Mahyuddin Abdullah, 44, and Liza Ambau, 39, who appeared before judge Abu Bakar Manat, were charged under the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009.
Police Corporal Elly, Inspector Mohd Fa'iz and Corporal Liza were alleged to have solicited bribes of RM6,000 and RM3,000 cash respectively from one Wong Kian Shung at the Crimes and Narcotics Investigation Department in Penampang around 11pm until 12am on April 8, 2016.
The money was as an inducement for police personnel not to take action against one Dahlia Andreas, who had her urine analysis tested positive of drugs.
The offences were framed under Section 16 (a) (B) of the MACC Act 2009 and is punishable under Section 24 of the same Act, which carries a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the sum or value of the gratification which is the subject matter of the offence or RM10,000, whichever is higher.
Mohd Fa'iz, who was also charged with another two counts of accepting bribes, was charged under Section 17 (a) of the MACC Act, which is punishable under Section 24 of the same Act.
He was accused of obtaining bribes of RM1,000 and RM2,000 cash from one Zaleha Brahim as an inducement for him not to take legal action against one Rinsiah Labik, who was also tested positive for drugs in her urine analysis.
The alleged offences was committed at a car park near a restaurant in Donggongon Town, Penampang about 12pm to 10 pm between February 9 and 10, 2016.
Meanwhile, DSP Mohd Mahyuddin from the Commercial Crimes Investigation Department Sabah police headquarters here, was charged with soliciting a bribe of RM20,000 from one Josepin J. Langkan at a car park in front of an eatery premises at Taman Ridgeview here at 9pm to 10.30pm on June 15, 2016.
The money was as an inducement for him not to take legal action against Josepin, who was suspected of cheating.
Mohd Mahyuddin was also alleged to have received RM500 without consideration from the same person at the same time and day, and was charged under Section 165 of the Penal Code.
The indictment provides for a jail term of up to two years or a fine, or both, upon conviction.
He was also accused of obtaining a bribe of RM5,000 cash from the same person for the same purpose at a car park near a college at Taman Ridgeview here at about 9.50am to 10am on June 18, 2016.
Deputy public prosecutors (DPP) from MACC, Rustam Sanip and Rozanna Abd Hadi, objected to bail because all the accused persons were charged with serious offences.
However, if the court was to grant any bail to the accused persons, DPP Rustam had requested for bail of RM15,000 to be imposed against the corporals and inspector, while DPP Rozannand requested RM20,000 bail to be imposed against DSP Mohd Mahyuddin.
In pleading for a lower amount of bail, counsel Luke Ressa Balang, who represented the corporals and inspector, told the court that the accused persons had been serving in the government for more than six years and had families and children.
Counsel P.J. Perira on the other hand prayed for the court to impose a bail of RM10,000 with a RM4,500 deposit on his client, DSP Mohd Mahyuddin, who had received exemplary award during his services in the police.
The court fixed April 26 for pre-trial case management for all the accused persons and released them on bail of RM10,000 with RM5,000 deposit for the corporals, RM15,000 bail with RM5,000 deposit for the inspector while DSP Mohd Mahyuddin was released on RM20,000 bail with RM8,000 deposit and one local surety each.
All of the accused were also ordered to have their passport surrendered to the court and to report themselves to the MACC office once a month.