SHAH ALAM: A senior executive with an airline company claimed trial at the Sessions Court here today to a charge of failing to report a RM1,000 bribe he received from a man to expedite a business deal with an engineering company last year.
Mohd Razif Hassan,35, pleaded not guilty after the charge was read to him by the court interpreter before Judge Datuk Mohd Nasir Nordin.
"I understand (the charge). I want to go on trial," he told the court.
Razif was accused of being given the bribe which was transferred online to his bank account from the man,52, as an inducement to speed up dealings between his company and the airline.
He had allegedly failed to report the bribery to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), an offence under Section 25(1) of the MACC Act and punishable under Section 25(2) which provides a maximum RM100,000 fine; a jail term up to 10 years or both upon conviction.
The offence was allegedly committed at a bank in Bandar Tun Hussein Onn in Cheras on Nov 9 last year.
MACC prosecuting officer Mohd Yasri Yahya offered bail at RM2,000 with one surety.
As additional conditions, Mohd Yasri also applied for the accused to surrender his passport to the court, report to the MACC on the first week of each month and not harass prosecution witnesses.
In mitigation, lawyer Shahidah Muslimah Roslan pleaded for a RM1,000 with one surety bail for his client, who is married with two young children.
"He is a facilities management senior executive earning RM3,200 monthly and his family's sole breadwinner. He is left with RM1,000 monthly after deducting household expenses.
"He has been under investigation since December last year and was arrested in April but not remanded.
"Up to his charge today, he has given full cooperation to the MACC, especially the investigating officer," she said.
The court set bail at RM1,000 with one surety and allowed the prosecution's additional conditions.
The court also fixed Nov 29 as mention.