KUANTAN: A police station chief has pleaded not guilty to 98 counts of bribery amounting to RM31,400 in 2021 and 2022 at the Sessions Court here today.
Anuar Yaakob, 54, claimed trial after the charges were read out in four languages, taking more than 40 minutes in front of Judge Datuk Ahmad Zamzani Mohd Zain.
According to the charges, the accused was alleged to have received valuable items, namely cash ranging from RM100 to RM2,000 from several individuals connected to his official duties through online transfers to his account between Jan 2021 and Oct 2022.
The accused was said to have committed the act in Kuantan while on duty in the Investigation/Legal Division (D5) of the Crime Investigation Department at the Pahang Contingent Police Headquarters, holding the rank of Sergeant; and serving as Cherating police station chief as a Sergeant Major between Jan 2021 and Oct 2022.
Anuar, who has served for 33 years in the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), is charged under Section 165 of the Penal Code and if found guilty, he could be imprisoned for up to two years or fined, or both.
In the proceeding, Deputy Public Prosecutor of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), Rif'ah Izzati Abdul Mutalif, requested a bail of RM15,000 for all charges.
"The accused is also required to report to the MACC office in Pahang, surrender his international passport to the court, and not interfere with prosecution witnesses," she said.
Meanwhile, the accused's lawyer, Mohd Baharuddin Ahmad Kassim, in his plea, requested for the bail amount to be reduced as the accused supports a non-working wife and three children.
"The accused's net income amounts to RM3,000 and he is also supporting his parents, aged 73 and 76, respectively," he said.
Ahmad Zamzani then approved the RM15,000 bail with three additional conditions.
The accused was ordered to report to the MACC office monthly, starting from Sept, until the case is concluded.
Ahmad Zamzani informed the accused that he must surrender his international passport to the court until the trial is concluded and not interfere with prosecution witnesses. The case was adjourned to Sept 25 for document submission.