BUKIT MERTAJAM, 30 Nov 2017:
A Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officer pleaded not guilty in the magistrate’s court here today to a charge of extorting a policeman last June.
Rommy Ma’i’aruf, 38, claimed trial to extortion by instilling fear in Ahmad Hasbi Mohd Fauzi, 32, that he risked being arrested by the MACC – as he was the officer responsible for making reports on the development of illegal gambling activities in the Seberang Perai Tengah district.
He was alleged to have connivingly coerced the victim who worked as inspector at the Seberang Perai Tengah headquarters into handing over RM3,000.
The offence was reportedly committed in the compound of the Seberang Jaya Petronas petrol station at 9.30pm on June 8.
Rommy was charged under Section 384 of the Penal Code – which carries a maximum jail sentence of 10 years or fine or whipping or with any two of such punishments upon conviction.
Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Muhamad Hafiz Hashim urged the court to fix bail at RM8,000 – should the court consider bail for the unbailable offence – with additional conditions that the accused hand over his passport to the court and report to the nearest police station.
Chan Ai Mei, representing the accused, appealed for lesser bail as her client had three children aged between two and 12.
Magistrate Jamaliah Abd Manap set bail at RM8,000 in one surety and ordered Rommy to report to the nearest police station every fortnight. The court fixed Jan 4 for re-mention.
– Bernama