Court upholds ex-DBKL senior deputy director's acquittal in graft case

KUALA LUMPUR: Former Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) senior deputy director, Sabudin Mohd Salleh, was seen performing 'sujud syukur' (prostration of gratitude) when the High Court today upheld the Sessions Court's decision to acquit and discharge him on a charge of accepting bribes, amounting to RM150,000, four years ago.

Judicial Commissioner, Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid, made the ruling after dismissing the prosecution's appeal against the decision of the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court on April 8 last year, which acquitted and discharged Sabudin.

In his judgment, Azhar said that the court had examined the entire record of the appeal, the grounds of judgment, and the written and oral submissions of the appellant and the respondent.

"I find that this court has no reason to change or interfere with the decision made by the Sessions Court judge. Therefore, the appellant's (prosecution) appeal was dismissed," said Azhar.

Deputy public prosecutor, Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin, appeared for the prosecution while lawyer K. Theivaendran represented Sabudin, 60, as the respondent.

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Meanwhile, Wan Shaharuddin, when met by the media, said that the prosecution would file an appeal in the Court of Appeal in relation to the High Court's decision today.

On April 13, 2021, the prosecution filed an appeal against the decision of the Sessions Court Judge on April 8 last year, which acquitted and discharged Sabudin of corruption charges at the end of the prosecution case.

A total of 10 prosecution witnesses testified at the trial.

Sabudin, who was senior deputy director at DBKL's Civil Engineering and Urban Transportation Department, was charged with corruptly receiving RM150,000 from Chia Chee Seng, who is a director of Tegap Elit Sdn Bhd, as an inducement for him to verify claims for advance payment submitted by several companies.

He was charged with committing the offence at a house in Ukay Perdana, here, between Aug 13 and 19, 2018.

The charge was framed under Section 165 of the Penal Code, which provides an imprisonment for up to two years, or a fine, or both, upon conviction.

-- BERNAMA