Decision on politician’s appeal against graft conviction June 4

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KOTA KINABALU: The High Court has fixed June 4 this year to decide on an appeal by a local politician against his conviction on two counts of graft involving RM550,000, over the processing of land grants committed five years ago.

Justice Chew Soo Ho fixed the date when the case came up for mention here yesterday.

On November 21, 2013, Suaidin @ Shuhaiddin Langkab @ Langab, 63, was found guilty by the lower court on the two counts and sentenced to a total of 30 months’ jail and fined RM2.75 million.

On the first count, he was jailed 18 months and fined RM2 million, in default, one year’s jail for soliciting RM400,000 cash from one Chew Ai Wah as an inducement purportedly to pay an officer in the Land and Survey Department for managing the grant issuance process for land lots in Pitas.

On the second charge, he was sentenced to another one year in jail and fined RM750,000, in default, 10 months’ jail for corruptly receiving RM150,000 cash from Chew as an inducement purportedly for the same purpose.

Both offences were committed at two hotels in the city between August 28, 2008 and September 19, 2008, respectively.

The two offences were framed under Section 10 (a) (aa) of the Anti-Corruption Act which is punishable with a jail term of between 14 days and 20 years and a fine of five times the amount involved or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

Suaidin, a former president of Parti Bersatu Sasa Malaysia (BERSAMA), is currently on a stay of execution, pending disposal of his appeal.

Counsel Zahir Shah represented the appellant while deputy public prosecutor Joyce Blasius acted for the respondent.