SHAH ALAM: A former magistrate claimed trial today to charges of offering bribes to a deputy public prosecutor as an inducement to drop an attempted robbery case in Feb, this year.
Esther Tan Siew Choo, who is now a lawyer, pleaded “not guilty” when the charge was read to her before judge Rozilah Salleh at the sessions court here.
The mother of three is alleged to have offered RM1,000 in bribes to deputy public prosecutor, Mahmoodah V. M. Abd Latif, as an inducement to drop a case against Mohd Hairi Mohd Jani, who was charged under Section 393 of the Penal Code.
She allegedly committed the act at the Sungai Besar magistrate’s court, Jalan Besar, Sungai Besar in Sabak Bernam, at about 12.30pm on Feb 2, 2017.
If convicted under Section 17(b) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, she may be jailed for up to 20 years, and fined five times the money involved, or RM10,000, whichever is higher.
Deputy public prosecutor Hazirah Azeman asked the court to set bail at RM10,000, with one surety, against the accused.
However, Esther’s lawyer, Datuk Salehuddin Saidin, pleaded for a minimum bail, as RM10,000 was excessive if compared to the amount involved in the case.
The court set bail at RM7,000 with one surety, and ordered the accused to surrender her passport.
The court also set May 26 for a hearing.
Meanwhile, at the same court, two men – Muhammad Razif Mahadi, 27 and Foo Ah Lee, 69 – were charged with the same offence, allegedly committed three years ago.
Muhammad Razif, a contract worker, and Foo, who is unemployed, were charged with offering a RM1,000 bribe to the Selangor Immigration Department deputy assistant director, Othman Montil, in Feb 2014.
The money was an inducement for Othman not to take action against eight illegal immigrants who were allegedly committing an offence under the Immigration Act 1959.
Deputy public prosecutor Nor Diana Nor Azwa prosecuted, while both of the accused were unrepresented.
The court set bail at RM10,000 with one surety for the duo, and fixed May 26 for a hearing.