OP TIGER: TWO BANK OFFICERS PLEAD NOT GUILTY TO FAILING TO REPORT BRIBERY TRANSACTIONS

SHAH ALAM,  Nov 7 (Bernama) -- Two former bank officers pleaded guilty in the Sessions Court here today to an alternative charge of failing to report bribery transactions over gratifications given to them by law firms in connection with the preparation of documents for housing financing between 2021 and 2022.

Judge Datuk Mohd Nasir Nordin imposed a fine of RM25,000, in default 30 months in jail,  on Mohd Haikal Jamaludin, 41, and RM6,000, in default six months in jail, on Amira Nabiela Mohamad Jamaruddin, 28. T

Mohd Haikal was charged with five counts of receiving cash bribes totalling RM15,920, deposited into his bank account through a representative of a law firm, as gratification for recommending the law firm to prepare five housing financing agreement documents estimated to be worth RM2.46 million, at two bank branches in Petaling Jaya between April 14, 2021 and Jan 13, 2022.

As for Amira Nabiela, she was charged with accepting a cash bribe of RM3,201,  which was deposited into her bank account, as a fee for recommending another law firm to prepare documents for two housing financing totalling RM924,387.20.

The offence was committed at a bank branch in Shah Alam on Nov 23, 2021.

The charges against them were initially framed under Section 16 (a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act, whereby, in doing so, they had breached Section 25 (1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 by not reporting on the bribery transactions.

During mitigation, Mohd Haikal, unrepresented, told the court that he has four children to support and is taking care of his mother,  who had just undergone surgery for stage four cancer.

Amira Nabiela, also represented, in her mitigation, said that she is currently unemployed and has monthly commitments including a house, car, education loans and a one-year-old child.

Deputy Public Prosecutors Muhamad Taufik Awaludin and Nurul Izzati Sapifee, from MACC, requested a proportionate sentence to serve as a lesson.

 In another proceeding in the same court, a bank officer, Koh Wei Yeong, 37, pleaded not guilty to two counts of accepting  RM1,800 from a law firm at a bank branch in Kelana Jaya on May 13, 2020.

It was given as a gratification for recommending the law firm to prepare documents for housing financing amounting to RM300,000.

He was charged under Section 16 (a) (A) of the MACC Act 2009, and also offered an alternative charge for failing to report the bribery transaction.

The court granted him bail of RM8,000 and also ordered him to surrender his passport, not to interfere with prosecution witnesses and to report to the MACC office every month. It also set Dec 16 for mention.

The prosecution was conducted by Deputy Public Prosecutor Selvam T. Armugom from MACC, while Koh was represented by lawyer Paramjit Singh.

-- BERNAMA