High Court upholds acquittal of Ex-DBKL deputy director over RM150,000 bribery charge

KUALA LUMPUR: A former Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) senior deputy director who was acquitted of a bribery charge involving RM150,000 remains a free man after the High Court here affirmed his acquittal.

This is following the decision by Judicial Commissioner Azhar Abdul Hamid, who dismissed an appeal by the prosecution against the acquittal of Sabudin Mohd Salleh, 60.

The judge said there was no reason for the court to intervene in the Sessions Court's decision on April 8, last year.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin told the press that the prosecution would file an appeal at the Court of Appeal soon.

It was reported that Sessions Court judge Suzana Hussin had acquitted and discharged Sabudin after finding that the prosecution had failed to prove a prima facie case against him at the end of the prosecution's case.

A total of 10 witnesses testified in the prosecution's trial.

Sabudin, who was senior deputy director at DBKL's civil engineering and urban transportation department, was charged with corruptly receiving RM150,000 from Chia Chee Seng, a director of Tegap Elit Sdn Bhd, as an inducement for him to verify the claims for advance payment submitted by several companies.

He was charged with committing the offence at a house in Ukay Perdana here between August 13 and 19, 2018.

The charge was framed under Section 165 of the Penal Code, which provides an imprisonment for up to two years, or with fine, or both, upon conviction.

Sabudin was represented by lawyer K.Theivaendran.