Home Ministry officer charged with 3 counts of graft

PETRA JAYA: An officer attached to the Home Ministry's Film Control Division claimed trial to three counts of accepting bribes two years ago at the Kuching Special Court for Corruption, here, today.
Omar Mohd Bahari, 54, who was unrepresented, pleaded not guilty to accepting bribes totalling RM5,250 from Richard Hii Ding Yin at three separate locations between June 18, 2015 and July 27, 2015.
Two of the transactions were made via bank transfers on July 7, 2015 and July 27, 2015.
According to the charge sheet, the bribe was an inducement for Omar to refrain from taking action against 11 business premises operated by Hii, which sold pirated VCDs and DVDs in Sibu.
All charges were made under Section 17(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 for receiving any form of graft and carries the maximum sentence of 20 years' jail and RM10,000 fine, or five times the value of the bribe, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
Judge Nixon Kennedy Kumbong set RM15,000 bail in two sureties against Omar.
He also fixed four days for the hearing of the case, beginning Aug 1.
Sarawak MACC deputy public prosecutor Low Chin How prosecuted.