Senior police officer pleads not guilty to 46 counts of accepting bribes amounting RM70,600

Former Temerloh district police chief Mohd Azhar Mohd Yusoff, 53, made the plea before Judge Datuk Ahmad Zamzani Mohd Zain.

It took about an hour for two interpreters to read out the 46 charges.

Mohd Azhar was alleged to have received between RM100 and RM5,600, which was transferred online to his account from several individuals and companies that were related to his official duties, including not taking action on foreign workers and business premises operating beyond stipulated hours.

He was alleged to have committed the offences in the Temerloh district while on duty at the Temerloh District Police Headquarters between March 2019 and January 2023.

The policeman, who had been in service for 30 years, was charged under Section 165 of the Penal Code which carries imprisonment for up to two years or a fine or both, if convicted.

Mohd Azhar also pleaded not guilty to 46 alternative charges optional made under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 which provides imprisonment for up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the value of the bribe or RM10,000 or whichever is higher, if convicted.

He was allowed bail of RM25,000 with one surety and also ordered to surrender his passport to the court, report himself at a MACC office once a month and not intimidate witnesses in the case.

The court set Nov 15 for submission of documents and case management.

The prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutors from MACC comprising Ahmad Feisal Mohd Azmi, Rasyidah Murni Azmi and Rifah Izzati Abdul Mutalif, while the accused was represented by lawyers Datuk Bob S Arumugam and Najib Zakaria.