BINTULU: Former Tatau Criminal Investigation Department (CID) head, Chief Inspector Zulkifli Ishak, pleaded not guilty to two counts of graft charges at the Sessions Court yesterday.He was tentatively charged on Jan 18.
On the first count, Zulkifli was accused of corruptly asking for RM300 from one Seman Abdul Samat as inducement not to detain the man who allegedly employed foreign workers without proper permit as required under the Immigration Act 1959/1963.
The offence was allegedly committed between 3pm and 4pm on July 22, 2008.
Zulkifli was charged under Section 10(a)(bb) of the Anti-Corruption Act 1997 (punishable under Section 16 of the same Act) which carries a prison term of not less than 14 days and not more than 20 years; a fine not less than five times the sum or value of the gratification, or RM10,000, whichever is higher.
The second charge alleged that he corruptly accepted RM300 as inducement to release Seman who allegedly employed foreign workers without permit as required under the Immigration Act 1959/1963.
This allegedly took place between 4.30pm and 5pm on July 22, 2008 inside a car bearing registration number QTA2281 parked in front of Garden Village shop in Pasar Baru Tatau.
Both charges were preferred against him by Deputy Public Prosecutor of Kuching Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Muhammad Sunti before Sessions Court Judge Marutin Pagan.
Zulkifli was represented by Counsel Stephen Augustine Lateng.
The trial will be held on March 22 and in the mean time the accused is on extended bail.