SHAH ALAM: The former president of the Kuala Langat District Council (MDKL) pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here today to four counts of accepting bribes totalling RM100,000.
Dr Mohd Azhar Mohamed Ali, 48, made the plea after the charges were read out to him before Judge Rozilah Salleh.
According to the charge sheet, Mohd Azhar as the president of MDKL (now Kuala Langat Municipal Council), had received cash totalling RM100,000, without consideration, from a man he knew had a connection with his official function.
The accused allegedly committed all the offences at MDKL, Banting and a house and resort in Sepang between July 14, 2,017 and April 30, 2019.
The charges were framed under Section 165 of the Penal Code, which carries an imprisonment of up to two years or a fine or both upon conviction.
Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Noryusriza Zulkifli offered bail of RM100,000 with additional conditions that the accused has to surrender his passport to the court and report to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office once a month until the disposal of the case.
In mitigation, lawyer Ariff Azami Hussein asked for a RM20,000 bail, saying that his client supports nine children, with eight of them still in school and his wife is a housewife.
Rozilah then set bail at RM50,000 with one surety and ordered the accused to surrender his passport to the court and report to the Putrajaya MACC office at the beginning of every month.
The accused paid the fine.
The court fixed Oct 26 for document submissions and mention. - Bernama
