MELAKA: A 44-year-old former member of a non-governmental organisation is facing four charges related to the alleged bribery and falsification of government documents.
The accused, who is currently receiving treatment in the psychiatric ward of Melaka Hospital, was charged during proceedings held at the hospital by the Ayer Keroh Sessions Court yesterday.
Following the reading of all four charges by judge Elesabet Paya Wan, Nurfateha Othman claimed her right to trial.
She faces three charges of allegedly accepting bribes amounting to RM36,824.50 and one charge of falsifying documents, all related to an alleged assurance to secure a “Datuk Seri” award in conjunction with Melaka’s title conferment ceremony in 2023.
According to the charges, the accused allegedly received bribes from a businessman as an inducement to secure the conferment of the title, despite having no authority to grant the award.
For the first charge, the accused is alleged to have received RM25,559.50 between Nov 23, 2022, and Nov 23, 2023, through online transactions from a bank account belonging to a company owned by the businessman’s wife.
Under the second charge, she allegedly received RM2,440 between Dec 13, 2022, and June 1, 2023, through online transactions from the personal bank account of the businessman’s wife.
For the third charge, the accused allegedly received RM8,825 between Dec 28, 2022, and Nov 2, 2023, into her bank account through online transactions from the personal bank account of the same individual.
All the alleged offences were said to have been committed at a bank here, with the charges framed under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, which provides for jail for up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the value of the bribe, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
The fourth charge, under Section 468 of the Penal Code, pertains to allegedly providing a forged document, namely a Letter of Conferment of the Melaka State Honour 2023, to the businessman in September 2023, with intent to deceive, despite no actual conferment having been made.
If convicted, the accused can be jailed for up to seven years and fined.
The court ordered that the accused be transferred to the psychiatric ward at Permai Hospital in Johor for observation, and for a written medical report on her condition to be obtained from the hospital’s medical director.
The court fixed Feb 23 for case management.
