KUALA LUMPUR – Former Kuala Langat district office head Mohd Azhar Mohamed Ali pleaded not guilty to four charges of accepting bribes between 2017 and 2019 amounting to RM100,000.
The 48-year-old claimed trial after the charges were read to him in front of Shah Alam sessions court judge Rozilah Salleh, reported Berita Harian.
According to the charges, Azhar during his tenure allegedly received RM100,000 in cash from a 43-year-old man.
If found guilty, Azhar could face up to two years’ jail or a fine, or both, under Section 165 of the Penal Code.
He was accused of committing the crime in the district office building in Banting, Taman Casa Mekar Sg Merab in Sepang and a holiday spot in Jalan Pulau Carey between July 2017 and April 2019.
Deputy public prosecutor Noryusriza Zulkifli applied for the court to set bail at RM100,000 with one surety, to submit his passport to the court, and to present himself at the nearest Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission office every month.
However, defence counsel Ariff Azami Hussein applied for RM20,000 bail, saying that Azhar has nine children, of which four are his stepchildren and eight are still in school.
The court then set bail at RM50,000, including the conditions applied by the prosecution.
Case mention has been set for October 26. – The Vibes, September 30, 2022
