Appeals court upholds ex-Gombak police deputy chief’s acquittal

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PUTRAJAYA: A former Gombak police deputy chief walked out a free man as the Court of Appeal here yesterday upheld his acquittal on charges of soliciting and receiving a RM10,000 bribe.

A three-man bench led by Court of Appeal president Tan Sri Md Raus Sharif unanimously dismissed the prosecution’s appeal against Abdul Karim Abu Hassan’s acquittal.

Md Raus said it was not safe to disturb the findings of the Sessions Court in the acquittal which was largely based on the finding of facts.

The other two judges presiding on the panel were Court of Appeal judges Datuk Balia Yusof Wahi and Datuk David Wong Dak Wah.

The Sessions Court on July 7, 2012 acquitted and discharged Abdul Karim, 61, and the High Court had upheld the Sessions Court decision on Dec 5, last year.

Abdul Karim was charged with soliciting RM10,000 from Lim Ching Jing at the Gombak police headquarters on Sept 19, 2007, as inducement for him not to take action against Lim who was a suspect in a syndicate linked to cannibalising
vehicles.

He was also accused of receiving RM10,000 from Lim’s sister, Kin Lan on Oct 12, 2007 through a Maybank account at the Segambut branch as inducement for the same purpose.

Meanwhile, the same Court of Appeal panel upheld the conviction and 18-month jail sentence and fine of RM425,000 in default 12 months jail on electrical shop assistant Soo Chong Man, 46, for soliciting and receiving bribes as an inducement for Abdul Karim not to take action against Lim.

This was after the prosecution withdrew its appeal against the sentence and Soo also withdrew his appeal against his conviction.

Soo was found guilty on five charges by the Sessions Court and the High Court upheld his conviction.

Lawyers, Haresh Mahadevan and Azrul Z Stork represented Abdul Karim while M. Athimulan represented Soo.

Afifah Yusof was deputy public prosecutor. — Bernama