SANDAKAN: A 44-year-old National Registration Department (NRD) staff was sentenced to 18 months jail and fined RM25,000, in default, six months jail by the Sessions Court here yesterday after he was found guilty of accepting a bribe.
Sessions Court judge Dato Ishak Bakri meted the sentence on Edwin Ajin after he was found guilty as charged under Section 17 (a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, punishable under Section 24 of the same Act.
The indictment is punishable with imprisonment of up to 20 years imprisonment and a fine of not less than five times the amount of bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
Edwin, a grade KP22 assistant officer heading the NRD office in Telupid, had allegedly on October 10, 2010, received a RM5,000 bribe from one Jamail bin Sungah through another person, Catherine @ Sarimah binti Enggoh at a hotel here for him to turn a blind eye and not take action on Jamail’s fake MyKad.
The accused, represented by counsel Dennis Rantau, failed to raise doubt of statutory presumption under Section 50 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, whereas prosecutor Norsham Saharom succeeded in proving that Edwin had accepted gratification by an agent under Section 17 (a) of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009.
The case was first mentioned on April 3, 2013 during which a total of 16 witnesses were called to testify.
Edwin’s application for stay of execution was granted by the court, pending his appeal to the High Court. He is currently released on RM10,000 bail in one local surety, pending disposal of his appeal.