KUANTAN: An assistant engineer of the Kuantan City Council (MBK) was fined RM16,000 by the Sessions Court here after being found guilty of two counts of accepting bribes totalling RM2,000 in 2022.
Judge Sazlina Safie on Friday (Dec 27) also ordered the accused, Mohd Yusrizal Md Ledza, 43, to be sentenced to six months' jail if he fails to pay the fine.
The accused is accused of receiving RM1,000 from a female contractor for his official duties, which was deposited into his bank account online.
He is accused of committing the act at a bank in Temerloh on March 7 and 23, 2022 and is charged under Section 165 of the Penal Code which carries a maximum sentence of two years' jail or a fine or both.
Deputy Public Prosecutor of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), Muhammad Asraf Mohamed Tahir, requested a proportionate sentence, taking into account the public interest and the need for the court to send a deterrent message to prevent such offences from recurring.
However, defence lawyer Datuk Zaharman Zainal Abidin appealed for a lighter sentence on the grounds that his client earns about RM4,200 a month, supports a wife and three children aged between three and 12, and has no previous criminal record.
In addition, the accused has no previous conviction record, has fully cooperated with the MACC and the court throughout the proceedings and has expressed remorse and promised not to repeat his actions. – Bernama
