KUANTAN – Two policemen were sentenced to 36 months in jail and fined RM25,000 each after being convicted of two counts of accepting bribes amounting to RM4,000 about five years ago.
Sessions court judge Datuk Ahmad Zamzani Mohd Zain also ordered Shafiq Kharidan, 28, and Muhamad Nurlizam Ali, 35, to be jailed for nine months if they failed to pay the fine.
The court came to the decision at the end of the defence case which heard the testimonies of 21 prosecution and three defence witnesses.
Shafiq and Nurlizam received bribes amounting to RM3,000 and RM1,000 on September 23 and 24, 2016 from a trader as an inducement not to take action for possessing contraband cigarettes at Jalan Felda Kechau and Taman Cahaya in Lipis, about 250km from here.
They were charged under Section 17(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 which carries a penalty of a maximum of 20 years in jail, and a fine of five times the amount of the bribe, or RM10,000, whichever is higher.
At the time of the offence, the two were on duty at the Kuala Lipis district police headquarters traffic unit and were charged on August 15, 2018.
During proceedings, their counsel Datuk Shukri Mohamad applied for a stay of execution for the sentences as his clients intended to appeal.
“They are now self-employed after being suspended from work and have never failed to appear in court. Shafiq, although unmarried, takes care of his parents while Nurlizam has three children,” he said.
Zamzani allowed the stay. – Bernama, February 5, 2021
