A BANK officer has pleaded not guilty to 104 corruption charges involving bribes totaling RM398,100, allegedly received as payment for processing personal loan applications, in a case linked to the recent Ops Sky crackdown.
Zayme Zanee Othman, 43, who is the Head of the Financing Unit at a bank branch in Seri Kembangan, faced the charges today at the Shah Alam Sessions Court before Judge Awang Kerisnada Awang Mahmud.
According to the prosecution, Zayme allegedly accepted the bribes via online bank transfers into a company account owned by his wife, from both an individual and a company, in return for facilitating the approval of personal loan applications.
These actions reportedly caused the clients to hold multiple loans across different financial institutions that exceeded their eligibility limits.
The offences are said to have occurred between 19 November 2020 and 4 October 2024 at a bank branch in Bandar Baru Bangi.
He is charged under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, punishable under subsection 24(1) of the same Act, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of five times the bribe amount or RM10,000, whichever is higher.
Deputy Public Prosecutor from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), Muaz Ahmad Khairuddin, recommended bail of RM150,000 with conditions including surrendering his passport to the court, monthly reporting to the MACC office, and no contact with prosecution witnesses.
Defence lawyer Arik Zakri Abdul Kadir requested a lower bail, citing that Zayme has two young children aged four and five, and also supports his mother and sister who suffer from kidney disease. He further disclosed that his client suffers from chronic gout and requires RM500 monthly for treatment, emphasising Zayme’s full cooperation with the MACC investigation.
The court subsequently granted bail of RM70,000 with one surety residing in Selangor or Kuala Lumpur, imposed a ban on contacting prosecution witnesses, and ordered monthly reporting to the MACC starting November.
The case is scheduled for a further mention on 17 December.
Earlier reports indicated that Zayme faced nine charges for accepting RM12,600 in bribes into his personal bank account from a 42-year-old man.
In February, seven officers from a major bank were dismissed following an internal investigation linking them to a loan syndicate orchestrated by a financial consulting company, which was dismantled during Ops Sky.
Ops Sky, conducted by the MACC’s Anti-Money Laundering Division with cooperation from Bank Negara Malaysia, resulted in the detention of at least 27 individuals including 18 bank officers, eight financial consultants, and one member of the public to assist investigations. - October 23, 2025
