GEORGE TOWN: Three deputy public prosecutors from the Penang prosecution chambers have been detained by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) for allegedly seeking RM500,000 to “settle” a commercial crime charge.
The three public officials will be taken to a magistrate’s court in Alor Star, Kedah later today for a remand application since the case originated there.
After a complaint was lodged last month, the MACC investigators went undercover to determine the extent of the corruption claims.
A prosecutor, who is believed to hold the rank of senior federal counsel, was alleged to have accepted the money, which was marked to leave an evidence trail by the undercover officers.
He was subsequently detained last week.
Upon questioning, two other prosecutors were also arrested at the Kedah MACC office after they were summoned to have their statements recorded.
According to sources within MACC, the investigators also raided the offices and homes of the suspects and found cash and other items which will be produced in court as evidence.
Apparently, the suspects were operating a scheme to “fix” cases for some time before their ruse was uncovered.
Kedah MACC director Shaharom Nizam Abd Manap has confirmed that the three suspects had been arrested, but declined to reveal if they are public prosecutors.
Lawyers when contacted said if it is true that the prosecution office was involved then the scourge of corruption was worse than what was presumed.
They urged the authorities to screen the entire legal system from the possibility of having legal officers compromised by allegations of bribery.
In another development, police here crippled a drug distribution syndicate whose members were security guards at a shopping complex in Seberang Prai.
North Seberang Prai district police chief ACP Noorzainy Mohd Noor said five raids were conducted over the weekend by the anti-narcotics division which resulted in the arrests of the six guards.
It also saw the seizure of 39,892 yaba pills with a street value of RM398,500.
“Preliminary investigations found that they got their drug supply from other syndicates before hiding them in the ceiling of the shopping centre. They distribute their stash to clients at the shopping centre and also at nearby entertainment centres,” said Noorzainy.
