Assistant veterinary officer charged with bribery

JOHOR BARU: An assistant veterinary officer pleaded not guilty in the sessions court here today to three counts of accepting bribe, totalling RM3,500, from a contractor.
Ruminant Unit head at the Johor Veterinary Service Department, Mohd Razi Basar, 41, made the plea after the charges were read out before judge Mohd Fauzi Mohd Nasir.
On the first and second count, Mohd Razi , being a public servant, was charged with accepting RM1,000 and RM1,500 without consideration from Better Z Enterprise manager Mohamad Zakariah Mohamad whom he knew had connection with his official function.
It was an inducement for Mohd Razi to help secure a contract to supply and send materials for the construction of goat and cow shed to the Johor Veterinary Service Department.
On the third count, Mohd Razi was charged with accepting RM1,000 from Mohamad Zakariah as an inducement to obtain the contract to supply and send cyclone fence to the department.
He was charged with committing the offences at a bank located at a shopping centre in Johor Bahru between November 2013 and October 2014.
The charges were made under Section 165 of the Penal Code, which provides an imprisonment for up to two years, or fine, or both, if found guilty.
Mohd Fauzi allowed Mohd Razi, who has three children, aged between three and eight, and a wife, who is not working, bail of RM5,000 in one surety and set Jan 19 for mention.
He was represented by lawyer Tan Song Yan, while deputy public prosecutor Norsyarina Raizan prosecuted. — Bernama