TAWAU: Two civil servants were jailed one year and fined RM10,000 or six months in jail each for receiving a RM2,000 bribe.
Yuliana Saat, 48, and Azmi Amir Lunji, 50, who are Registration Assistants Grade KP22 at the National Registration Department (JPN) in Semporna, were sentenced by Judge Jason Juga after both were found guilty of the amended charges.
According to the charge, Yuliana was accused of corruptly receiving a RM2,000 bribe from Sufiah Said as an inducement to accept and process the application for 12-year-old identity cards for Nuraznil Ayub and Nuraznah Ayub, who are Sufiah’s twin daughters.
The offence was allegedly committed behind Restoran Seri Cahaya, Taman Sempaul, Semporna at 5.30pm on April 26, 2017.
Meanwhile, Azmi was accused of corruptly receiving a RM2,000 bribe from Yuliana as an inducement to approve the identity card registration applications for the twins.
He was accused of committing the offence in the parking area of Century Supermarket, Jalan Seri Melor Tinagayan, Semporna at 8pm on April 26, 2017.
Both accused were charged under Section 17(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 and can be punished under Section 24(1) of the same Act.
This section provides for a maximum imprisonment of 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount of the bribe, if convicted.
During the proceedings, Jason allowed the defence counsel’s application to stay execution on the jail sentence pending appeal against the decision to the High Court.
However, the fine must be paid on the day of conviction, and an appeal must be filed within 14 days starting Thursday.
MACC Prosecuting Officer, Rekraj Singh, led the prosecution, while Yuliana was represented by counsel Datu Baginda Datu Laja, and Azmi by counsel Jakariya Ab Jalil.
The case had been on trial since 2019, with 21 prosecution witnesses called to testify, while each of the accused served as defence witnesses.
Earlier, the defence counsels pleaded for minimum fines to be imposed, citing that both accused had already been suspended from work.
Yuliana, a mother of eight, is currently only farming after being suspended, while Azmi, a father of two, is facing health issues such as diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol.
Meanwhile, Rekraj urged the court to impose severe punishment on both accused, who are public servants, as their actions had tarnished the government’s image.
