ALOR STAR: A police corporal was charged in the Sessions Court here today on three counts of soliciting and accepting bribes as an inducement not to report the arrest of an individual suspected of possessing drugs two years ago.
Sazali Lokhman, 32, pleaded not guilty and claimed trial to all three charges before Judge N. Priscilla Hemamalini.
On the first count, he was charged with corruptly soliciting a bribe of RM40,000 from a 26-year-old woman.
The second count was for allegedly agreeing to accept RM10,000 from the same woman.
Both offences took place in a car on Nov 29, 2022, at Plot Blackwood, Jalan Industri Darulaman 1, Bandar Darul Aman Industrial Zone in Kubang Pasu at about 2pm.
On the third count, Sazali was alleged to have corruptly obtained RM9,000 from a 30-year-old man at Lot 5719, Jalan Langgar in Alor Star on Nov 30, 2022, at about 9pm.
Sazali, who is attached to the Kubang Pasu district police headquarters, was alleged to have solicited all the bribes as an inducement not to report the arrest of a 29-year-old individual suspected of possessing drugs.
All the charges were framed under Section 17(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act, which provides for imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
The court allowed him bail of RM20,000 for all charges and set August 18 for mention.
MACC prosecution officer Mohd Zulfadli Azharudin prosecuted, while lawyer Muhamad Samsul Nizam Sohhimi represented the accused.
The accused has posted bail.