Duo jailed, fined for offering bribes to cops

An Indonesian man was jailed for seven days and fined RM10,000, in default, three months in jail for offering RM1,000 to a police officer for driving a lorry carrying liquor with unpaid duty.

Haslan Lahaming, 27, received the sentence after he changed his plea from not guilty to guilty before Sessions Court judge Abu Bakar Manat, when the case was re-mentioned, yesterday.

He had offered the money to Inspector Rantai Ak Iukie from the 17th Battalion Lahad Datu General Operations Force (GDP) as an inducement to release the said lorry which was driven by his friend, Odo Ajam Fabian.

The offence took place at Road Check Point, Kalabakan, Tawau at 10.30pm on January 25.

He had committed an offence under Section 17 (b) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, which provides for a maximum jail term of 20 years and a fine of five times the bribe amount or RM10,000, whichever is the higher, upon conviction.

In mitigation, the accused through his counsel Chin Teck Ming, pleaded for a minimum sentence on the grounds that he pleaded guilty and regretted what he had done.

Haslan, who worked as vegetable distributor, is also married to a local and pleaded to be given a chance and not to repeat a similar offence, Chin added.

Meanwhile, prosecuting officer Mohd Faliq Basiruddin from the MACC urged the court to impose a deterrent sentence against the accused to serve as a lesson to the accused and the public as well.

He said such offence is serious and had tarnished the image of enforcement agencies in the State.

In another case, a 24-yearold IMM13 holder had a similar fate of going to prison for five days plus RM10,000 fine, in default, a month in jail for bribing a police officer to release his brother, who was in remand over an Immigration offence.

Abdul Mujrimin Mohammad admitted to the offence before the judge after his charge was read to him.

He had offered RM300 cash to ASP Dominic Daniel who was on duty at the Investigation and Traffic Enforcement division as an inducement to release his younger brother, Abdul Rahman Mohammad, from remand.

Abdul Rahman was detained for an offence of having no valid travel documents.

Abdul Mujrimin's offence, under Section 17 (b) of the MACC Act 2009, took place at the complaint counter in Manggatal police station here between 10.20pm and 10.52pm on May 30.

In mitigation, the unrepresented accused pleaded for leniency on the ground that he has a single mother and siblings to support.

He said he is currently working at a factory making cordial drinks and meatballs.

However, Mohd Faliq requested a deterrent sentence to be imposed against the accused.

The court ordered the jail sentence for both, Haslan and Abdul Mujrimin, to take effect from yesterday while the cash involved were to be forfeited to the government of Malaysia.