JOHOR BARU: The Sessions Court here today ordered former Tanjung Sedili Maritime Zone director Mohd Zulfadli Nayan to enter his defence on a charge of accepting a RM10,000 bribe four years ago.
Judge Datuk Ahmad Kamal Arifin Ismail ruled that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against the accused.
Zulfadli, 43, currently suspended as a senior assistant director at the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency headquarters, opted to testify under oath during the defence proceedings.
His lawyer, Mohd Fazaly Ali Mohd Ghazaly, told the court that the defence will call seven to eight witnesses over seven days of proceedings scheduled for Jan 8, 13 and 14; Feb 17 and 20; and, March 3 and 4 next year.
The prosecution is led by Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission officer Zander Lim Wai Keong.
Zulfadli, who pleaded not guilty on May 23, 2021, is accused of accepting RM10,000 from shipping company owner Wan Mohd Fauzi Wan Kamaruddin at a restaurant on Jalan Yahya Awal here at 10pm on Oct 2, 2020.
The bribe was allegedly linked to his position at the time, with the accusation that he refrained from taking action in an investigation involving the vessel MT 'Singa Gangsa', owned by Alamgala Resources Sdn Bhd. The ship was detained by the Tanjung Sedili Maritime Zone's vessel KM 'Mulia' on Sept 17, 2020.
He is charged under Section 165 of the Penal Code for receiving bribes, which carries a maximum penalty of two years' imprisonment, a fine, or both, upon conviction.