KOTA KINABALU: A civil servant with the Public Works Department has pleaded not guilty at the Tawau Special Corruption Sessions Court on Monday (Feb 23) to 39 charges of receiving more than RM30,000 in bribes related to road maintenance works.
Abdul Rahim Salleh, 59, who is an operations assistant with the district Public Works Department, made the plea after all charges were read before Judge Elsie Primus.
According to the charges, the accused, who served at a Tawau branch office, allegedly received bribes in stages ranging from RM200 to RM2,200 from two individuals, an accounts manager and a site supervisor of a construction company.
The bribes were allegedly given as an inducement for the accused to cease monitoring and supervising works under Contract No. HQ.46/2019(S), involving the maintenance of Sungai Mas Road, Maria Road, and Mull Road in Tawau.
The offences were allegedly committed between May 5, 2020, and Aug 1, 2022, around Tawau, including at a bank on Jalan Utara.
The case was framed under Section 17(a) of the Malaysian Anti‑Corruption Commission Act 2009, punishable under Section 24(1) of the same Act.
If convicted, the accused faces imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the value of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher.
The court allowed bail of RM40,000, with RM15,000 to be paid in cash and two sureties.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Wardah Ishhar handled the prosecution, while the accused was represented by lawyer Nur Hafizah Husna.
