KUALA LUMPUR - A Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officer and a businessman known as 'Datuk Roy' were charged in the Sessions Court here today with two counts of soliciting and receiving bribes totalling RM640,000 as an inducement to ensure former Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s son was not remanded by the graft-busting body.
Mohd Rasyidi Mohd Said, 43, and Datuk Roy, or real name Mohd Hussein Mohd Nasir, 54, pleaded not guilty to the charges before Judge Azura Alwi.
They were jointly charged with corruptly asking bribes amounting to RM400,000 from Siti Dalena Berhan, 47, as an inducement not to remand Datuk Fakhri Yassin Mahiaddin during MACC's investigation.
The offence was allegedly committed at a restaurant in Bangsar, here, between 9 pm and 11 pm on March 5.
The two accused are also accused of accepting bribes amounting to RM240,000 from Syed Farid Syed Al Attas, 41, as an inducement not to remand the same individual during the MACC investigation.
That offence was allegedly committed at a fast food outlet in Desa Sri Hartamas here between 2 pm and 4 pm on March 6.
They were charged under Section 16 (a) (A) of the MACC Act 2009, punishable under Section 24 of the same Act, which carries up to 20 years' jail and a fine of not less than five times the amount of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
Meanwhile, before Judge Suzana Hussin, Mohd Hussien pleaded not guilty to another charge of soliciting a RM2 million bribe from Siti Dalena and Syed Farid.
The bribe allegedly sought was an inducement to change the corruption charges faced by Adam Radlan Adam Muhammad to a lighter one, change his statement to one given as a witness and lower his bail amount.
The offence was allegedly committed at a premises in Kampung Melayu Kepong, here in February, according to Section 16 (a) (A) of the MACC Act 2009.
Bail for Mohd Hussein was set at RM15,000 with one surety for all three charges and Mohd Rasyidi at RM10,000 with one surety with the additional condition that their passports be impounded.
They are to also report to the MACC office pending the disposal of the case.
The court fixed July 7 for mention.
Earlier, the court allowed an application by MACC prosecuting officer T Armugom for Mohd Hussein's case to be tried jointly with the other bribery charges he was facing.
Deputy public prosecutors Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin dan Nor Diana Nor Azwa were also part of the prosecution team. - BERNAMA