SEREMBAN – A Public Works Department (PWD) technician pleaded not guilty at the sessions court here today to four charges of accepting bribes amounting to RM5,000 for the construction of a badminton hall at a school in Rantau near here seven years ago.
The accused, Abdul Halim Abdullah, 44, who was not represented by a lawyer, made the plea before judge Madihah Hairullah.
Based on the first three charges, the accused allegedly received the bribe from the owner of a construction company through three transactions of RM1,000 respectively into his bank account on February 8, March 1 and March 27, 2013.
For the fourth charge, the accused allegedly received RM2,000 from the same individual on May 7, 2013.
It was in return for construction work for the school’s hall, where he had an interest in monitoring the work and providing a summary of monthly interim claims to the company.
The accused allegedly committed all the offences at a bank in Jelebu and was charged under Section 165 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum jail term of two years, a fine, or both upon conviction.
The prosecution was conducted by Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission prosecuting officer Zainab Yahaya.
The court has set bail at RM10,000 with one surety and fixed January 21 next year for mention. – Bernama, December 16, 2020
