Senior cop pleads not guilty to graft charges

SIBU: A senior police officer was charged yesterday in a Special Corruption Court here for corruption and accepting bribes.

However, Sofian Abu Bakar, 44, denied both charges after they were read to him by prosecuting officer Nur Nisia Abd Latiff from Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

Judge Nixon Kennedy allowed Sofian a RM15,000-bail under one surety, and fixed trial for five days starting this April 12.

Soffian’s defence counsel Shankar Ram communicated virtually in the proceedings via video conferencing from Kuching.

Sofian is facing the main charge of accepting a gratification for himself of RM15,000 as an inducement so as to not take legal action against Lu King Kiat, who is suspected of running an illegal lottery operation – an offence under Common Gaming Houses Act 1953.

Sofian, then an officer-in-charge of Meradong District police headquarters, with the rank of deputy superintendent (DSP), allegedly committed the offence in front of a electrical/furniture shop at Jalan Wong King Huo (Sibu) around 8.30pm on Oct 11, 2018.

The offence is listed under Section 17(a) of Malaysia AntiCorruption Commission Act 2009, and punishable under Section 24 of the same Act, read together with Section 28(1) of the same Act. It provides, upon conviction, a jail term of up to 20 years, and a fine not less than five times the value of the gratification, or RM10,000 – whichever is the higher.

Sofian also faces an alternative charge of accepting RM15,000 from Lu King Kiat, at the same time and place. The offence is framed under Section 165 of the Penal Code, punishable by a maximum jail term of two years, or a fine, or both, upon conviction.