KUALA LUMPUR: ProLintas chief operating officer Rostam Shahrif Tami was fined RM100,000 by the Sessions Court for failing to report a bribe he received in connection with the Sungai Besi-Ulu Kelang Elevated Expressway (SUKE) project.
Judge Rosli Ahmad imposed the maximum fine on the accused after he pleaded guilty to an alternative charge, ordering him to serve 10 months in jail if he failed to pay the fine.
The court also ordered that funds seized from Rostam, 59 – including RM114,000 in bonds, RM658,750 in cash, RM180,000 from a Tabung Haji account and foreign currency – be forfeited to the government, Bernama reported.
Rostam was charged with failing to report a RM90,000 bribe received from Satunas Technologies Sdn Bhd through one Mohd Rosman Alias.
The bribe was as an inducement in the accused’s capacity, as the superintending officer’s representative for the SUKE privatisation project, to award the company a contract.
The offence was allegedly committed at a restaurant in Bandar Kinrara, Puchong, on Feb 20, 2023, under Section 25(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, punishable under Section 25(2) of the same Act which provides for a fine of up to RM100,000, maximum jail of 10 years, or both, upon conviction.
However, two other charges previously faced by Rostam were taken into consideration under Section 171A of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Earlier, DPP Nor Diana Nor Azwa urged the court to impose the maximum fine on the accused, citing the severity of the offence and amount involved.
She also sought a forfeiture order, as the properties were linked to the offences committed by the accused.
Defence counsel Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad pleaded for a fine and not a jail term, saying his client suffered from high blood pressure and had no previous criminal record.
“My client has worked at Prolintas since 1998. Following his arrest and remand, the company suspended him from his duties. Throughout his service, he has never been involved in any misconduct, and he deeply regrets his actions,” he said.
“The accused has also agreed to forfeit the property and cash seized from him, including RM180,000 from a Tabung Haji account, to the government in mitigation of his sentence.”
According to the facts of the case, Rostam used and disposed of the money for personal purposes, including the purchase of seven luxury watches and two vehicles registered under the names of his two children.
