Customs officer pleads not guilty to receiving RM1,000 bribe

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KUALA LUMPUR: A Customs officer pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here yesterday
to a charge of accepting bribe of RM1,000.

Customs Superintendent R Thevakumar, 38, of the Import Export Division, South Port branch, Bagan Dalam, Penang, is charged with receiving the money through his Maybank account from an individual whom he knew had official dealings with the Royal Customs Department.

The offence was allegedly committed at Maybank Jalan Manis Enam, Taman Segar, Cheras, at 3.55pm on May 14 this year.

The charge, made under Section 165 of the Penal Code, carries a maximum imprisonment for two years or fine or with both, if found guilty.

Judge Rosbiahanin Arifin allowed the accused, who was unrepresented, bail of RM5,000 with one surety and also ordered him to surrender his passport to the court.

In another Sessions Court, a businessman pleaded not guilty to three counts of abetting Customs Senior Assistant Director II Som Chit s/o Tiang, who was charged last Monday with receiving bribes of between RM1,000 and RM4,000 as inducement not to take action on liquor consignments for which duty had not been paid.

Ooi Geim Leong, 41, is charged with abetting Som Chit, 48, from the Putrajaya Customs’ Special Investigation Branch, by allowing the Customs officer to use his account to receive bribes, totalling RM10,000, in three transactions made on Oct 29 last year and April 21 and June 9 this year.

Ooi, who was unrepresented, was alleged to have committed the offences at Ambank Taman Connaught, Cheras here.

Judge Allaudeen Ismail allowed Ooi bail of RM12,000 with one surety. Oii was also ordered to surrender his passport to the court.

Both the cases were fixed for mention on Nov 10.

The prosecution was represented by deputy public prosecutor Husmarudin Husin. — Bernama