SHAH ALAM, 13 June 2017:
A Pakistani man was sentenced to two months’ jail and fined RM3,000 by the sessions court here today for offering a RM50 bribe to a policeman, last year.
Judge Datuk Ahmad Zamzani Mohd Zain meted out the punishment after the accused – Saleem, 36, (only one name available) – a grass cutter, pleaded guilty to an alternative charge under Section 214 of the Penal Code, which carries imprisonment of up to three years and a fine, upon conviction.
The court also ordered him to serve another six months jail if he failed to pay the fine.
Saleem was charged with offering the bribe to lance corporal A. Thurenthiran Nair, from the MPV Division of the Kajang district police headquarters, as an inducement not to summon him for riding a motorcycle without a licence, an offence under the Road Transport Act 1987.
The accused committed the offence at the Balakong Industrial area, Cheras, near here, about 6.30pm on June 7 last year.
Saleem, earlier, had pleaded not guilty to the original charge under Section 17 (b) of the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, with offering a bribe of RM50 to Thurenthiran Nair as an inducement not to issue a summons against him for riding a motorcycle without a licence, at the same time and place.
If convicted, he was liable to be sentenced under Section 24 of the same Act, which carries a maximum 20-year jail term and a fine of five times the bribe amount or RM10,000, whichever is higher.
Earlier, MACC deputy public prosecutor Hazirah Azeman had asked the court to impose a deterrent sentence
However, Saleem, who was unrepresented, pleaded for leniency on the grounds that he was in Malaysia for the last four years to make a living and to support his wife and three children in Pakistan.
Separately, a lorry attendant was charged at the sessions court here with blackmailing and raping his ex-girlfriend, a nurse, early this month.
Che Mohd Shahril Che Mohd, 30, from Kuala Terengganu, pleaded not guilty to both charges.
On the first charge, he allegedly demanded RM3,000 from the woman and threatened to expose and circulate a half-naked photograph of her – forcing the victim to surrender RM1,000 to him.
He is accused of committing the offence at a hotel in Section 13 here, between 2.10pm and 3pm on June 2.
If found guilty, he could be sentenced under Section 384 of the Penal Code, to up to 10 years imprisonment, or a fine, or caning, or any two of the punishments.
On the second charge, Che Mohd Shahril allegedly raped the woman aged 21, at the same place, time and date.
If found guilty, he could be sentenced under Section 376 (1) of the Penal Code, which provides for a minimum 10 years to a maximum 30 years imprisonment, as well as caning.
Judge Datuk Ahmad Zamzani Mohd Zain fixed bail at RM35,000 with one surety for both charges and July 19 for re-mention of the case.
The court also ordered the accused to report to the nearest police station once a month, and against harassing the victim and witnesses involved in the trial.