Policeman jailed 28 months, fined RM20,000 for bribery

SEREMBAN: The Sessions Court today sentenced a policeman with the rank of corporal to 28 months' jail and fined RM20,000 for soliciting and receiving bribes in January 2013.
Judge Fathiyah Idris meted down the sentence on Umar Saifuddin Austin Abdullah, 40, after he was found guilty of the offences.
The accused was found guilty of soliciting a bribe of RM500 from Noorazly Ja'alam to release Muhamad Abdul Goas and Yudi, illegal immigrants detained by the police for not having travel documents and work permits at the Crime Investigation Division of the Rembau District Police Headquarters between Jan 13 and 14, 2013.
Umar Saifuddin was also found guilty of receiving bribes amounting to RM400 from Noorazly for the same purpose at a restaurant in Taman Rembau Permata, Chembong, Rembau on Jan 14, 2013, at about 6.30pm under Section 16(a)(B) and Section 17(a) of the MACC Act 2009.
For the first charge, he was sentenced to a jail term of 24 months and fined RM10,000 in default of eight months' jail if he failed to pay the fine.
He was also sentenced to an imprisonment of 28 months and fined RM10,000 in default of eight months' jail if he failed to pay the fine for the second charge.
Fathiya ordered the jail sentences to run concurrently and allowed an application by the accused's counsel Datuk Hanif Hasan to defer the sentencing being carried out.
Deputy public prosecutor Nurdiyanah Mohd Nawawi appeared for the prosecution. — Bernama