KUCHING, Jan 11: A senior officer with the People’s Volunteer Corps (RELA) was fined RM273,600 in default eight months’ jail by the Sessions Court today for a false claim involving RM54,720.
Abdul Wali Fathir Mustapha, 30, from RELA Serian district, pleaded guilty to the charge before judge Nixon Kennedy Kumbong.
He was also sentenced to two months’ jail.
Abdul Wali was charged with the intention to mislead financial officer Jamil Aboi at RELA’s headquarters on May 3, 2012 in Kuching.
He allegedly submitted a false claim of RM54,720 in wages for 190 RELA personnel on duty during the election for the month of April in 2012.
Investigations later revealed there was no one on duty at that time.
The charges were made under Section 18 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, which is punishable under Section 24 of the same law. Those found guilty are liable for imprisonment for up to 20 years and fine of not less than five times the amount of the gratification, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
MACC deputy public prosecutor Dzulkarnain Rousan Hasbi who prosecuted, urged the court to pass a deterrent sentence, saying corruption is a crime and this involved a large sum.
In a separate case, a police inspector was fined RM25,000 in default two months’ jail by the same court.
Azrul Izman Shadan, then with the narcotics division at the Sibu police headquarters, was also jailed 20 days after he pleaded guilty to soliciting RM5,000 from a woman in return for returning her seized jewellery three years ago.
He pleaded guilty to the charge he committed on March 13, 2015 by soliciting the bribe from Amy Yip Su Ling in a room at RH Hotel, Sibu. — DayakDaily
