Cop faces three bribery charges

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Margani before entering the courtroom at the Kota Kinabalu Court Complex, yesterday.

KOTA KINABALU: A police corporal claimed trial to three charges of graft involving a total of RM3,200.

Margani Arpah, 55, who is currently attached to the Kota Kinabalu District Police Headquarters, faced the charges before Sessions Court judge Abu Bakar Manat, yesterday.

On the first count, he was alleged to have solicited RM2,000 from Anisa Hassan as an inducement not to take any action against her nephew and friend who did not have any identification documents.

Margani was charged under Section 16 (a) (B) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 and punishable under Section 24 of the same Act, which carries a jail term of up to 20 years, and a fine of not less than five times the amount of bribe received, or RM10,000, or whichever is higher, upon conviction.

On the second and third counts, Margani was alleged to have received RM900 and RM300, respectively, from the same person for the same purpose.

The alleged offences were framed under Section 17 (a) of the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 and punishable under Section 24 of the same Act.

All the three offences took place behind the Pondok Polis Warisan Square here between 5pm and 6.26pm on August 22, 2018.

In the proceeding, prosecuting officer Clementine Severinus from the MACC offered bail at RM10,000 in a local surety with additional conditions that the accused must report himself at the MACC office every two months and passport to be kept by the court and not to tampwer with the prosecution witnesses.

Margani, who was not represented, requested the bail amount to be reduced to the minimum on the grounds that he has seven children aged between 12 and 27 and a wife, who is unemployed, to support.

He also said that he is still serving as a police officer and told the court he was supposed to perform ‘Umrah’ (minor pilgrimage) in March but it was cancelled due to the Movement Control Order (MCO).
The court fixed August 25 this year for pre-trial case management and allowed the accused to be released on RM10,000 bail with only RM4,000 to be deposited in a local surety, pending disposal of the case.

Additional conditions imposed were that the accused needs to report himself at the MACC office once in two months, passport to be impounded by the court but allowed the accused to apply for the passport if he wanted to pursue Umrah by showing relevant documents and that Margani was prohibited from tempering with any of the prosecution witnesses.