Semporna Forestry official and husband claim trial to corruption

KOTA KINABALU: A 51-year-old Forestry Department staff in Semporna and her husband claimed trial to different corruption charges at the Tawau corruption special Sessions court on Tuesday (Oct 26).

Operation administration officer Asmawati Ariffin, faced three different charges under the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 for abusing her position to obtain projects for her family and relatives on three separate occasions between January 19, 2016 until January 27 this year.

These were in relation to repairs and construction works at the Semporna Forestry office totalling to RM149,280 given to respective companies owned by her nephew, brother and brother-in-law.

Judge Abu Bakar Manat set bail at RM10,000, with one surety and Dec 7 for case management.

Meanwhile, her husband Singah @ Mohd Ngah Landi,53, faced two charges under the same Act for abetment between Jan 4, 2016 until Jan 27 this year.

He was accused of helping to get the contracts worth RM 99,360, for his wife's nephew as well as his own brother.

Abu Bakar set bail at RM15,000 with one surety and also case management on Dec 7.

In a separate case, Abu Bakar imposed an RM5,000 fine to a self-employed man for attempting to bribe a policeman on July 29, 2019.

The accused Tai Hon Shang, 47, pleaded guilty to offering RM2,000 to the cop during a road block at Kalabakan, Tawau around 1.55am then, so that he could escape legal action for possessing contraband cigarettes.