High Court upholds sentence on former Immigration DG

The High Court today upheld the six years jail sentence and RM300,000 fine imposed on former Immigration Director-General Datuk Wahid Md Don for accepting a RM60,000 bribe to approve visas for Bangladeshi workers.

Judge Datuk Amelia Tee Hong Geok Abdullah, in upholding the sentence, dismissed the appeal by Wahid against his conviction and sentence.

However, the court allowed Wahid's application for a stay of execution of the sentence pending an appeal to the Court of Appeal and increased the bail, from RM50,000 to RM100,000 in two sureties.

The court also ordered Wahid to pay the fine of RM300,000 before or on Jan 4, 2016.

In her judgment, Tee said after reviewing submissions from both parties, the court found the evidence by the prosecution witnesses were not rebutted, while the defence witnesses were inaccurate.

Tee said the court also found that no payment was required to obtain approval for visa application for Bangladeshi workers.

On Oct 15, 2010, Wahid was acquitted and discharged by the Sessions Court here on a charge of accepting a bribe of RM60,000 to expedite the approval of visas for Bangladeshi workers after finding that the prosecution had failed to prove a prima facie case against him.

Wahid was charged with accepting the bribe from businessman Datuk Seri Low Chang Hian as an inducement to speed up the approvals of 4,337 visa applications for Bangladesh workers in Malaysia.

The offence was committed in his house at Jalan Lembah Ledang, off Jalan Duta on July 10, 2008.

The prosecution appealed, and on May 31, 2012, High Court upheld the Sessions Court's decision.

However, on April 2, 2013, the Court of Appeal ordered Wahid to enter his defence on the charge after allowing the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's (MACC) appeal.

On Oct 30, 2013, the Sessions Court found Wahid guilty of the charge and sentenced him to six years jail and RM300,000 fine.

MACC Prosecution Division Chief Datuk Abdul Razak Musa appeared for the prosecution, while lawyer Datuk V. Sithambaran represented Wahid.