KOTA KINABALU: A Domestic Trade and Costs of Living Ministry officer was found guilty of accepting a RM500 bribe to release seized items from a case where she was the investigating officer seven years ago in Sabah’s east coast Tawau district.
Tawau Special Corruption Court judge Jason Juga subsequently sentenced Aisha Batik, 43, to two months in jail and a RM10,000 fine, in default, three months imprisonment on Wednesday (Feb 1).
The court, however, granted an application to stay the execution of the accused’s jail sentence pending an appeal but ordered her to settle the fine the same day.
The accused, arrested on Aug 30, 2017, was charged under Section 17(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 on Feb 20, 2020.
According to the facts of the case, Aisha, who was an assistant enforcement officer at the Tawau domestic trade ministry office, had, on Aug 15, 2017, agreed to accept RM500 cash from an individual as an inducement to release a wooden boat and outboard engine.
She was accused of committing the offence at 4pm at the marine police base jetty in Tawau.
The items were seized by the for its involvement in smuggling 10 liquefied petroleum gas tanks.
The prosecution had said that the accused was the investigation officer in the case and that she had violated Section 17(a) of the MACC Act 2009, which was punishable under Section 24 of the same Act.
The law provides for up to 20 years imprisonment and five times the amount of the bribery, or RM10,000, whichever was higher, on conviction.
Prosecuting officer Dzulkarnain Rousan Hasbi appeared for the MACC, while the accused was represented by Tetuan Amin Jaafar & Co.
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