KUCHING: The High Court here yesterday dismissed the appeal of two former government officers sentenced to six months’ imprisonment and fined RM10,000 in default three months’ jail each for receiving bribes five years ago.
Shazali Poli, 38, and Ismail Mohidi, 55, both former officers of Sarawak Housing Development Corporation, had their appeal dismissed by presiding judge Judical Commissioner Ravinthran N Paramaguru who upheld the Sessions Court decision imposed on Nov 11 last year.
Shazali was found guilty of obtaining RM1,000 cash as bribe from a man at the car park in front of the department’s building at about 12.45pm on July 15, 2008.
The graft was to expedite the issuance of a consent letter from Land and Survey Department for low cost housing in Semariang when he was employed as an administrative assistant with the corporation. Ismail committed the same offence as a junior assistant officer at a restaurant on the fourth floor of Wisma Satok at about 11am on July 15, 2008.
Both appellants were convicted of a charge under Section 11(a) of the Anti-Corruption Act 1997 (Act 575) and punishable under Section 16 of the same act (Act 575) which carries an imprisonment of not less than 14 days and not more 20 years, and a fine five times the sum of gratification or RM10,000 whichever is higher.
The Court yesterday had granted their application for stay of execution pending their appeal to the Court of Appeal and released them on extended bail. Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) was represented by its prosecution officer DPP Law Chin How.