BUTTERWORTH – The proceedings of a bribery case involving a businessman at the sessions court was postponed to another date after the defence counsel submitted a Notice of Alibi to the office of the Deputy Public Prosecutor.
Defense counsel R. S. N. Rayer asked for the postponement as he told the court that it was only a week ago that they discovered the accused Chan Eng Leong, 46, was elsewhere with his wife on one of the dates mentioned in the charge sheet.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohd Mukhzany Fariz Mohd Mokhtar from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency (MACC) told the court that MACC needed time to investigate the Notice of Alibi and he does not object to the postponement of the case.
Sessions court judge Ahmad Azhari Abdul Hamid set April 21 and 22 and June 24 and 25 for the hearing.
Chan was charged with soliciting US$150,000 (RM618,150) and accepting bribes in its ringgit equivalent from Goh Choon Kim between March 30 and 31, 2019 about 5pm at the Vangohh Eminent Hotel’s office at Machang Bubok, Bukit Mertajam.
Chan was also charged with accepting RM615,000 from Goh at the Global Tobacco Manufacturers Sdn Bhd office at Machang Bubok on April 1, 2019.
The sum was allegedly paid to “settle” an investigation by Bukit Aman into Goh Kim Heong under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012.
Chan was charged with two counts of bribery under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, one for soliciting a bribe and another for accepting it.
The charge carries a maximum 20-year jail term and a fine of up to five times the gratification sought, upon conviction. – The Vibes, March 17, 2021
