KUANTAN: An Immigration officer has pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court here to 22 counts of bribery totalling RM47,600.
Kamarul Amilin Zainal Ariffin, 39, from Temerloh Jaya, Temerloh, was charged with accepting bribes from entertainment and reflexology centre operators, as well as estate and sawmill owners in Temerloh, Raub and Cameron Highlands, allegedly in exchange for information about planned raids.
For the first to 10th charges, Kamarul, who served in the Temerloh Enforcement and Intelligence Division, was accused of accepting bribes ranging from RM900 to RM3,000, which were deposited into his bank account between March 28, 2018 and Sept 30, 2021, Bernama reported.
The charges, framed under Section 17(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 and punishable under Section 24 of the same Act, provides for 20 years’ jail and a fine of not less than five times the bribe amount or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
For the 11th to 22nd charges, Kamarul was accused of accepting bribes between RM1,000 and RM5,000, transferred online to the same bank from Jan 2, 2018 to Nov 8, 2021.
The charges, under Section 165 of the Penal Code, carries a maximum sentence of two years, a fine, or both, upon conviction.
During the proceedings, Pahang MACC prosecuting officer Kamariah Seman proposed bail of RM20,000 with one surety.
Defence counsel Datuk Syed Azimal Syed Abu Bakar requested a lower bail amount, stating that his client, who is now serving at the Kemayan Immigration Depot in Bera, earns a monthly income of RM1,800 and has three children to support.
Judge Sazlina Safie set bail at RM10,000 in one surety and ordered the accused to surrender his passport to the court.
Next mention was fixed for April 29.
