Cops jailed two years for graft

Officers asked for RM6,000 to release suspect in smuggled car case

SHAH ALAM: Two policemen were jailed two years and fined RM30,000 each for soliciting bribes to release a wanted man in possession of a smuggled car five years ago.

L/Kpl Joe Stephen, 31, and Kons Mohd Farid Che Aziz, 33, were found guilty of soliciting RM6,000 as an inducement to prevent action being taken against one Lee Yong Hock on April 3, 2012, at 4.30am at the Pandamaran police station car park.

The two were at first charged at the Sessions Court in August 2014.

They were released without having to defend themselves.

The prosecution then appealed to the High Court here and the duo were told to enter their defence in December last year.

Two defence witnesses had been questioned since.

Sessions Court judge Asmadi Hussin said yesterday the defence failed to raise reasonable doubt against the prosecution’s case.

During mitigation, counsel V. Rajehgopal pleaded for a lighter punishment, saying his clients had families to provide for.

However, Malaysian AntiCorruption Commission (MACC) deputy public prosecutor Mohammed Heikal Ismail sought a deterrent sentence in accordance with MACC’s goal to wipe out corruption among public servants in two years’ time.

Judge Asmadi then sentenced them to two years in jail and RM30,000 fine in default six months’ jail.

Rajehgopal requested for a stay of execution until the appeal was completed.

Judge Asmadi granted the application and set bail at RM20,000 each.

He also ordered the two men to report to the Selangor MACC office once a month.