SHAH ALAM: Two former bank officers pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here on Wednesday (Nov 12) to charges of accepting bribes and subsequently failing to report such gratifications, purportedly received for recommending a legal firm for the preparation of loan documentation
Nadiah Zakaria, 33, and Abdul Rahman Shahrudin, 35, made the plea after the charges were read out to them separately before Judge Awang Kerisnada Awang Mahmud.
Nadiah faces 12 charges, six with accepting bribes and six alternative charges with failing to report the gratification.
The former Mortgage Sales Consultant is alleged to have received bribes, totalling RM11,444, from the bank account of a law firm as gratification for recommending the firm to prepare 11 home financing loan agreements worth RM3.2mil.
All the offences were allegedly committed at a bank branch in Shah Alam on Feb 1, Aug 2 and Oct 4, 2021 and March 22, July 4 and Dec 2, 2022.
The alternative charges made against her are for failing to report the gratification to the MACC or the police.
Abdul Rahman, also a former Mortgage Sales Consultant, faces 14 charges, seven for accepting bribes totalling RM7,366, and seven alternative charges for failing to report receiving the money as gratification, purportedly for recommending the same legal firm to prepare 10 home financing loan agreements worth RM2.61mil.
The money, from the same legal firm, was deposited into a bank account belonging to his wife.
The alternative charges made against him are also for failing to report receiving the gratification to the MACC or the police.
Abdul Rahman was charged with committing the offences at a bank branch in Shah Alam on Feb 19, March 2, April 19, Nov 15 and 28, 2018, and on March 20 and Oct 25, 2019.
They are charged under Section 16(a)(A) of the MACC Act and face imprisonment for up to 20 years and a fine upon conviction.
The alternative charges are framed under Section 25(2) of the MACC Act, which provides a maximum fine of RM100,000 or imprisonment for up to 10 years or both upon conviction.
The court allowed Nadiah and Abdul Rahman bail of RM6,000 and RM5,000, respectively.
They were also ordered to report to the nearest MACC office, surrender their passports to the court and not interfere with prosecution witnesses.
Nadiah, who is in her late stage of pregnancy, is exempt from having to report to the MACC until she has given birth.
The prosecution is conducted by Deputy Public Prosecutor Nurul Izzati Sapifiee, while Nadiah is represented by lawyer Muhamad Aizat Adli Zalil. Abdul Rahman is unrepresented.
The court set Jan 7 next year for mention of the case involving Abdul Rahman, and April 27 for mention of Nadiah’s case. - Bernama
