BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Aug 29 (Borneo Bulletin/ANN): A policeman who bribed a fellow policeman was sentenced to 18 months’ jail by the Magistrate’s Court in the city.
According to DPP Shamshuddin Haji Kamaluddin, Sergeant 3795 Pengiran Ahmad Pengiran Haji Zainal, 41, was an investigating officer at the Labi Police Station.
Prior to that, he held the position of Head of Special Duties Unit at Belait Police District Headquarters in Panaga Police Station.
On February 24, the defendant met with a Lance Corporal at the car park of Tamu Tudung Saji and gave him a BND200 bribe as a reward to provide information on raids to gambling dens. He again bribed the same colleague with BND50 on March 5.
Defence counsel Pengiran Khairul Nizam bin Pengiran Haji Mohd Yassin on behalf of the defendant submitted mitigations, pleaded for leniency and for the court to consider his situation of having to support his nine children and mother.
The court was also informed that he had served in the RBPF for 23 years since he was a recruit in 1997 with “exemplary service to the force and the nation”.
Magistrate Kamaliah Fadhilah binti Haji Ibrahim took these into account.
However, her attention was drawn towards the aggravating factors of the case being, the defendant’s abuse of knowledge and connection from previously being the Head of Special Duties Unit at Panaga, his personal involvement in setting up and managing several gambling dens, corroding the image of police to the public and exposing confidential information although the bribes were in non-substantial amounts, among others.
“As a police officer, previously responsible in assisting the nation to combat such crimes, he has brought embarrassment to the force and had muddied the integrity of his colleagues and the force,” the magistrate highlighted.
Previously, the defendant also faced charges of protecting a gambling ring and handing out loans to colleagues, but the prosecution has withdrawn those allegations. - Borneo Bulletin/Asian News Network
According to DPP Shamshuddin Haji Kamaluddin, Sergeant 3795 Pengiran Ahmad Pengiran Haji Zainal, 41, was an investigating officer at the Labi Police Station.
Prior to that, he held the position of Head of Special Duties Unit at Belait Police District Headquarters in Panaga Police Station.
On February 24, the defendant met with a Lance Corporal at the car park of Tamu Tudung Saji and gave him a BND200 bribe as a reward to provide information on raids to gambling dens. He again bribed the same colleague with BND50 on March 5.
Defence counsel Pengiran Khairul Nizam bin Pengiran Haji Mohd Yassin on behalf of the defendant submitted mitigations, pleaded for leniency and for the court to consider his situation of having to support his nine children and mother.
The court was also informed that he had served in the RBPF for 23 years since he was a recruit in 1997 with “exemplary service to the force and the nation”.
Magistrate Kamaliah Fadhilah binti Haji Ibrahim took these into account.
However, her attention was drawn towards the aggravating factors of the case being, the defendant’s abuse of knowledge and connection from previously being the Head of Special Duties Unit at Panaga, his personal involvement in setting up and managing several gambling dens, corroding the image of police to the public and exposing confidential information although the bribes were in non-substantial amounts, among others.
“As a police officer, previously responsible in assisting the nation to combat such crimes, he has brought embarrassment to the force and had muddied the integrity of his colleagues and the force,” the magistrate highlighted.
Previously, the defendant also faced charges of protecting a gambling ring and handing out loans to colleagues, but the prosecution has withdrawn those allegations. - Borneo Bulletin/Asian News Network
Already a subscriber? Log in
Get 20% OFF The Star Digital Access
Cancel anytime. Ad-free. Unlimited access with perks.
