Datuk Seri claims trial to soliciting bribe

SHAH ALAM: The owner of an engineering consultant firm, a Datuk Seri, has claimed trial to graft charges.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) charged him at the Shah Alam Sessions court on Tuesday (Mar 26) with soliciting payments to help “settle” a case for someone who was being investigated for graft.

The 50-year-old was slapped with two charges involving RM50,000.

He had allegedly assured the victim that he could use his influence to get the MACC to cease investigation into the victim’s case by obtaining a title from a certain state for the man.

The incident allegedly took place in Bangi on April 28 last year.

The man was charged under Section 16(a) (A) of the MACC Act for soliciting bribes.

If found guilty, he faces a jail term of not more than 20 years and a fine no less than five times more than the amount solicited, or RM10,000, whichever amount is higher.

He was also charged under Section 420 of the Penal Code for deceiving and cheating another person.

If found guilty, he would face a minimum of one year in jail and not more than 10 years, plus whipping and a fine.

His defence counsel requested that his bail be reduced as he had four children as well as a father in Kuantan to care for.

Bail was finally set by magistrate Sabri Ismail at RM25,000 with one guarantor.

The case was fixed for mention on April 10, 2019.

The Deputy Public Prosecutor was Amira Sariaty Zainal, while the defence counsels were Jamal Abbas and Shamsul Sulaiman.