Police constable charged with receiving more than RM2,000 in bribes

A police constable was charged in the Sessions Court here today of accepting bribes totalling RM2,400 from a woman, two years ago.

The accused, Mohammed Noriskand Othman, 30, who serves at the Kuah police station in Langkawi, however, claimed trial after the interpreter read out the three charge sheets against him.

On the first count, the accused was charged with accepting a bribe of RM100 from a woman on June 14, 2014, at 8.30am at the Kuah Jetty in Langkawi, as an inducement not to take action against her at the time, as she was suspected of carrying ketum leaves.

For the second count, Mohammed Noriskand was on the same date, time and place, charged with soliciting RM2,000 in cash from the woman as an inducement not to take action on suspicion of carrying ketum leaves.

For both counts, the accused was charged under Section 16(a)(B) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 (Act 694), which is punishable under Section 24(1) of the same Act.

The accused also faced another charge on the same date at 5.40pm at Restoran Nasi Kandar A. Ajmal, Jalan Padang Gaong, Langkawi, for obtaining RM300 in gratification from the woman as inducement not to take action against her on the same offence.

For the third count, the accused was charged under Section 17(a) of the MACC 2009 Act (Act 694), which is punishable under Section 24(1) of the same Act.

For each of the charges, the accused can be jailed for up to 20 years and fined not less than five times the amount of the bribe, if convicted.

Judge Zainol Rashid Hussain then fixed March 30 for mention of the case, and allowed the accused to get a lawyer.

Zainol Rashid also set bail at RM7,500, with one surety.

The case was handled by MACC deputy public prosecutor A. Hafiizh Abu Bakar.