PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal has upheld a 30-month prison sentence and RM225,000 fine imposed on a former police officer convicted of soliciting and receiving bribes.
The three-judge panel, comprising Justices Datuk Azizah Nawawi, Datuk Azman Abdullah, and Datuk Azmi Ariffin, unanimously dismissed the appeal by Muhammad Hafizzuddin Hassan on Tuesday (Nov 26).
He had sought to overturn the High Court’s decision that affirmed his conviction by the Sessions Court.
Justice Azizah stated: "Upon review of the evidence and findings presented by the lower courts, we are of the opinion that the conviction is safe.”
The 42-year-old former police inspector, who had been granted bail of RM20,000 with one surety pending the outcome of his appeal, is required to begin serving his prison sentence immediately.
On June 1, 2020, the Sessions Court convicted Muhammad Hafizzuddin of accepting RM15,000 in bribes from Abdul Ghani Ismail, 54, allegedly in exchange for his senior officer’s intervention to resolve a Prevention of Crime Act (Poca) 1959 case involving Ridduan Ahmad, aged 50.
The offence was committed at the office of the defendant at the South-West District police headquarters in Balik Pulau, Penang, at around 3pm on April 8, 2015.
The Sessions Court sentenced Muhammad Hafizzuddin to 30 months' jail and fined him RM75,000, in default a further six months in prison.
He was also convicted on a second charge of attempting to solicit a bribe of RM30,000 from Abdul Ghani Ismail in a vehicle at Lebuh Pekaka in Taman Pekaka, Penang, at 6.20pm on May 18, 2015.
The Sessions Court sentenced him to 30 months' jail and fined him RM150,000 in default eight months' imprisonment, with both prison sentences ordered to run concurrently.
Muhammad Hafizzuddin appealed to the Court of Appeal following the High Court’s dismissal of his appeal on March 24 last year.
He was represented by lawyer CP Ang, while Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) DPPs Farah Ezlin Yusop Khan, Dr Ifa Sirrhu Samsudin, Noor Azura Zulkiflee and Afiqa Liyana Rozman appeared for the prosecution. – Bernama
