KOTA KINABALU: A civil servant with Labuan Corporation walked free after a Sessions Court acquitted her of four corruption charges linked to using a company under her name to obtain gratification.
Sessions Court judge Jason Juga discharged and acquitted Dayang Salmah Abbas, 54, of all charges without calling for her defence.
Juga, sitting as a Corruption Court judge, ruled that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case in his decision delivered in Labuan on Friday (April 10).
Dayang Salmah, a Grade N42 administrative officer, was charged in December 2021 under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009.
She was alleged to have an interest in a company, RD Global, which was awarded four training-related contracts worth RM34,000 between November 2012 and March 2014.
The trial began on March 18, 2024, with the prosecution calling 12 witnesses before closing its case on October 23, 2025.
In a detailed ruling, Judge Jason accepted that the first legal ingredient had been established: that she was an officer of a government body.
However, he found material doubts as to whether the accused had actually used her position for gratification.
This pertained specifically to alleged instructions given for requisitions involving the company linked to her.
Judge Jason said the evidence, even if left unrebutted, was insufficient to sustain a conviction.
Defence lawyer Datuk Seri K. Rakhbir Singh argued that Dayang Salmah's role was strictly administrative and confined to verifying budgetary availability.
He noted that approvals and decision-making functions were held at higher levels within the organisation.
He also argued that she had made prior disclosure of her interest in the company and possessed written approval from her department.
MACC deputy public prosecutor Rastam Sanip led the prosecution.
