SHAH ALAM: An unemployed man was charged in the Sessions Court here today with two counts of offering and giving a bribe of RM120,000 to a senior police officer last month to avoid action against him for a drug offence.
Abd Aziz Abdullah @ Shariff, 39, pleaded not guilty after the charges were read out to him before judge Rihaida Rafie.
On the first count, he is accused of offering a bribe of RM120,000 to ASP Mohammad Izzuddin Zulkifly, 39, who is attached to the Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department of the Pahang contingent police headquarters.
The money was an inducement not to take action against him for possessing about five kilogrammes of syabu, an offence under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
He is alleged to have committed the offence at the Mass Railway Transit Sri Damansara Sentral car park, Bandar Sri Damansara, Sungai Buloh, at 6 pm on May 24, this year.
On the second count, he was charged with offering a RM120,000 bribe to the same police officer through his friend, a grilled chicken seller and part-time air-conditioner technician, Mohd Nizam Mohd Lazim, 36, for the same offence.
Abd Aziz allegedly committed the offence at Petron Persiaran Mahogani, J&H Service Station, Petaling at 9 pm on May 24, 2021.
Both charges under Section 17 (b) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 and punishable under Section 24 (1) of the same act, provides for imprisonment not exceeding 20 years and a fine not less than five times the amount of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher, if convicted.
Judge Rihaida did not offer bail as the accused is being remanded at Sungai Buloh Prison to facilitate the investigation into the drug offence under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
The court set July 12 for the accused to appoint a lawyer and to submit documents.
MACC deputy public prosecutor Fadhil Ab Wahab appeared for the prosecution. — Bernama
