PROJEK Lintasan Kota Holdings Sdn Bhd (Prolintas) chief operating officer (operation & project) Rostam Shahrif Tami was charged with accepting a RM70,000 bribe from a construction company near a mosque two years ago, reported the New Straits Times.
The 59-year-old accused, however, pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to him before Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court judge Rosli Ahmad today.
Rostam is accused of accepting RM70,000 from Satunas Technologies Sdn Bhd through one Rosman Alias at the parking lot of Masjid Ibnu Mas'ud, Jalan Damai, Kampung Datuk Keramat, on Apr 12, 2023.
The money was allegedly an inducement for Rostam, who was the representative of the superintending officer (SO's Representative) for the Sungai Besi-Ulu Kelang Elevated Expressway (SUKE) privatisation project, to award two tenders to Satunas Technologies.
He was charged under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act, punishable under Section 24(1) of the same Act which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment and a fine of not less than five times the bribe amount or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Nor Diana Nor Azwa asked the court to impose RM60,000 bail against the accused.
Lawyer Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad who appeared for the accused did not object to the bail amount.
Dzukkifli who was a former MACC chief commissioner also said his client is expected to face similar charges at the Shah Alam Sessions Court tomorrow.
The court set RM60,000 bail and ordered the accused to surrender his passport until the disposal of the case.
The court also fixed Feb 27 for the next mention.
It was reported that eight individuals, including a chief executive officer and two senior management members of a highway concessionaire, were remanded on suspicion of soliciting and receiving bribes related to the construction of two Klang Valley highway projects.
The chief executive officer, along with two senior management members and five other individuals, were detained during Ops Lintas on June 24 at the MACC headquarters to assist in investigations into the case.- January 27, 2025
