Kota Kinabalu: Two government servants were each jailed six months and fined RM20,000 by the Special Corruption Court on two counts of corrupt practice.
Tonny Ramlee, 43, Mohamad Nazri Rabani, 41, were found guilty by Sessions Court Judge Jason Juga on the two charges against them.
The court sentenced Tonny and Nazri to three months jail and RM10,000 fine or three months jail on each of the charges.
The court found Tonny and Nazri, respectively, as enforcement assistants grade KP22 and 19 of the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism (KPDNKK) of Beaufort branch, guilty of corruptly agreeing to accept a bribe of RM600 from a convenience shop owner as an inducement not to take action against the owner who allegedly committed an offence under the Price Control Order Regulations 1993.
The duo were also found guilty on the second count of soliciting RM600 from the same person and for the same purpose.
Both offences took place at the Jack Trading in Lo Chung Park, Beaufort between 12.25pm and 12.50pm on July 14, 2017.
The first charge under Section 17(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 and punishable under Section 24 of the same Act, carries a jail term of up to 20 years or a fine of RM10,000 or five times the bribe amount whichever is higher, on conviction.
The second charge under Section 16(a)(B) of the MACC Act 2009 also punishable under Section 24 of the same Act.
The court ordered Tonny and Nazri to serve the jail sentences concurrently.
However, both Tonny and Nazri managed to obtain a stay of execution of the jail sentence pending their appeal to the High Court.
The court in allowing the stay application ordered the fine to be paid by Wednesday.
Thirteen prosecution witnesses and two defence witnesses testified during the trial.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) prosecuting officer Dzulkarnain Rousan Hasbi prosecuted, while counsel Mohamad Amirul Amin represented both Tonny and Nazri.
Only Nazri paid his fine.
