TAWAU – A police officer claimed trial at the sessions court here today to three charges of soliciting and accepting bribes amounting to RM41,000 in 2017.
Saharulzaman Alizaman, 38, pleaded not guilty after the charges were read to him before judge Abu Bakar Manat.
He was charged with two counts of soliciting RM20,000 and RM4,000 in bribes from a man as an inducement not to take action against him for carrying out a moneylending business without a licence.
The offences were allegedly committed at the Lahad Datu district police headquarters’ Commercial Crime Investigation Division office, between 1.15pm and 4pm on August 16, 2017.
Saharulzaman was also accused of receiving bribes amounting to RM17,000 from the same man, between 3.09pm and 4pm on the same date at Double Bay in Lahad Datu town.
The charges were framed under Section 16(a)(B) and Section 17(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act.
The court set bail at RM20,000 with one surety and ordered the accused to surrender his passport, not to harass witnesses and report to the Sandakan MACC office every month.
The case has been set for mention on September 9.
The prosecution was conducted by MACC deputy public prosecutor Nurul Izzati Sapifee while the accused was represented by counsel Mohamed Zairi Zainal Abidin. – Bernama, July 8, 2022
