Sales exec claims trial to bribery over fake diploma

KUALA LUMPUR: A sales executive has claimed trial at a Sessions Court here for allegedly asking for a RM3,500 bribe in exchange for a fake diploma.

C. Vijayakumar, 34, was accused of soliciting the bribe for himself from Muhamad Amir Safwan Rusli as a pay-off for him to help the latter obtain a Diploma in Business Administration at the Infrastructure University Kuala Lumpur under the name Mohd Amirul Hakim Rusdi without having to go through the proper learning procedure.

He allegedly committed the offence at McDonald's Bandar Sri Damansara at 2.40pm on Jan 18, last year.

The offence under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) 2009 carries imprisonment up to 20 years or fine of no less than five times the amount of gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher, if convicted.

Vijayakumar pleaded not guilty to the charge, after it was read out before judge Azman Ahmad here on Friday (April 5).

DPP Nor Ameelyna Zaini from the MACC offered bail at RM8,000 in one surety.

Lawyer Mohd Shahrullah Khan Nawab Zadah Khan, who represented the accused, asked for a lower bail of RM2,000, as the accused was the sole breadwinner in his family.

"His wife is not working. He has given cooperation to the MACC throughout the investigation," Mohd Shahrullah said.

Judge Azman fixed bail at RM3,500 in one surety.

The case is fixed for a joint trial with a similar case in the Shah Alam Sessions Court, with mention set on April 9.

On Thursday, Vijayakumar and another man, Mark Aaron Pious, claimed trial at the Shah Alam Sessions Court for allegedly receiving RM3,000 from the same victim over the same purpose.

On Jan 30, Vijayakumar also pleaded not guilty at the same Sessions Court in Shah Alam over two counts of soliciting and receiving bribe relating to fake degrees from a private university.