Selangor customs senior Asst Supt faces 7 charges of receiving RM688,100 in bribes

A Selangor Customs Department's senior assistant superintendent today pleaded not guilty to seven charges of accepting bribes totalling RM688,100 between April, 2011 and August, this year.

Harun Baba, 57, made the plea after all the charges were read to him before judge Datuk Noradidah Ahmad.

He was charged with receiving for himself, cash as bribes in the sums of RM50,000, RM68,800, RM46,100, RM109,800, RM97,000, RM162,700 and RM153,700 at two separate locations, namely the Customs Office at the Free Zone, A36, Jalan FZ2-P3, KS 12, West Port, Pulau Indah, Port Klang and the Hotel Armada car park in Petaling Jaya between April, 2011 and August, this year.

The cash payments were as inducement for the accused to validate in the Customs information system that the inspections of vehicles carrying liquor had been made for confirmation and clearance by the Selangor Customs headquarters on the K8 form while no inspections were actually carried out.

The K8 form was to be filled by Customs after the inspection of goods for tax clearance.

All the charges against Harun were made under Section 16 (a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 and punishable under Section 24 (1) of the Act, which provides for a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine not less than five times the amount of bribe or RM10,000, which ever is higher.

DPP Ahmad Saifuddin Hashim Musaimi from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, who appeared for the prosecution, suggested that the accused be released on bail of RM210,000 in one surety for all the charges.

However, the accused who was unrepresented, said he could only afford to pay RM50,000.

Judge Noradidah then allowed Harun to be released on bail of RM100,000 in one surety and fixed Oct 30 for re-mention of the case.

She also ordered the accused to surrender his passport to the court until the case is disposed of.