A former officer with the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry was charged here Friday with six counts of bribery amounting to nearly RM60,000, involving the renovation of community halls.
Mohd Khairil Mi, 26, claimed trial before the Session Court to accepting bribes from Zainal Arifin Lahuri as inducement to issue orders to the National Welfare Foundation to approve payment to six companies for six renovation projects of community halls around Perak.
He is accused of committing the crimes between June and October 2011 while in his position as an assistant officer in the National Key Result Area (NKRA) in the ministry.
It was learnt that Zainal Arifin, the man alleged to have paid the bribes, was to appear as a witness for the prosecution.
The charge sheet stated that the RM59,544.30 in bribes was equivalent to 10% of the payment claims for the renovation projects, which cost RM595,443.
Under Section 17(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act for accepting a bribe, Mohd Khairil faces up to 20 years’ jail and a fine not less that five times the value of the bribe, if convicted.
Deputy public prosecutor Khairul Anwar Wahab urged the court to set bail at RM50,000 for each charge and to order the accused to surrender his passport.
Counsil Mohd Baharuddin Ahmad Kassim plead for leniency, saying that his client, now an officer with the Public Services Commission, was the sole breadwinner for his family and parents.
Mohd Baharuddin added that Mohd Khairil had been cooperative during the investigations.
Sessions Judge Ahmad Zamzani Mohd Zain allowed bail at RM60,000 for all charges, with one surety and the condition that Mohd Khairil surrender his passport.
The judge set July 22 for next mention.-thestaronline
