Image from Borneo Bulletin/ANN
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (Borneo Bulletin/ANN): Brunei prosecutor Siti Khalilah Hussin has levelled charges of misconduct against 45-year-old Muhammad Ali Iskandar bin Mustapha, an assistant narcotics officer at the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).
The defendant denied all seven charges under Section 12B, Chapter 131 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, for the offences of misconduct in the public office or misusing his powers as a public servant which resulted in the abuse of the public’s trust in the position that he was holding.
Following pleas of not guilty from the defendant, Senior Magistrate Ervy Sufitriana Abdul Rahman adjourned the case to April 6 for trial dates to be fixed.
The court also released the defendant on bail of BND10,000 or in two local sureties with other strict conditions.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) revealed from their investigations that the defendant was arrested by the NCB during an operation on being suspected of disclosing confidential information to one of NCB’s arrestees.
Muhammad Ali Iskandar was at the time of the allegations, attached as a sentry duty officer under the Control Unit of the NCB. He was responsible for recording the details and movements of NCB’s arrested persons brought into the sentry where he was working.
Allegations further has it that the defendant had disclosed confidential information seven times in 2023 to a person involved in drug-related activities, so he would not be implicated by the said person in his own involvement in the misuse drugs.
The ACB also reminded public servants not to abuse their positions of power and refrain from participating in any corruption activities, which are serious offences leading to prosecution under Chapter 131 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, carrying penalties of seven years’ imprisonment and a BND30,000 fine. – Borneo Bulletin/ANN
