CORRUPTION: FORMER SECRETARY OF FORMER MINISTER JAILED SIX YEARS, FINED RM8.8 MILLION

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 20 (Bernama) -- A former senior private secretary to a former Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture was today found guilty of eight counts of accepting bribes amounting to RM1.77 million about six years ago and was sentenced to six years imprisonment and fined RM8.8 million.

Sessions Court Judge Suzana Hussin meted out the sentence on Mohd Saifullah Mohd Minggu @ Mohd Hisham, 34, after finding that the prosecution had succeeded in establishing the case at the end of the defence case.

She ordered Mohd Saifullah to serve the prison sentence from today.

He was sentenced to between three and six years in prison on each count to be served concurrently, and fined between RM75,000 and RM2.5 million on each count, which amounted to RM8.8 million, in default seven years in prison.

However, the judge allowed Mohd Saifullah’s application for a stay of execution of the sentence pending an appeal to the High Court, and set bail at RM280,000 with one surety. She also ordered Mohd Saifullah to surrender his passport to the court and report to the MACC office once a month pending the disposal of the case.

Mohd Saifullah, who was in the witness box wearing a blue suit, broke down after hearing the verdict.

According to the eight charges, Mohd Saifullah was charged with receiving bribes totalling RM1,765,000 from the owner of Inter Bev Network Sdn Bhd, Ronald Seto Kong Seng, through Roslan Lahada as an inducement to secure a tender for ‘Branding and Creative Production Services'.

The charges relate to Tourism Malaysia's advertising campaign for the Digital Promotion and Advertising Proposal in conjunction with the 2020 Visit Malaysia Year tender, and the alleged bribe involves the Inter Bev Network company and direct negotiations for the tender with Plan B Digital Sdn Bhd.

The offences were allegedly committed at various locations, including Red Box Karaoke and Coffee Bean outlet at the Pavilion shopping mall, the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), the office of the senior private secretary to the minister in the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry, Vipod Residences, and Petronas Dengkil, between 11 am and 11.30 pm from Dec 21, 2018 to March 1, 2019.

The charges were framed under Section 16(a)(B) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009.

On Feb 23 last year, the court ordered him to enter his defence on eight charges of accepting bribes amounting to RM1.77 million after finding the prosecution had established a prima facie in the case.

However, the court acquitted and released him of 11 charges of soliciting and accepting bribes amounting to RM820,530.

Earlier, during mitigation, lawyer Asyraaf Abu Bakar Hamzah argued that his client was still young and politically inexperienced when he served as the senior private secretary to the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Datuk Mohamaddin Ketapi.

“The accused has a strong educational background and still has the potential to contribute positively to society. He is also a first-time offender, has cooperated fully throughout the five-year trial, and has shown genuine remorse,” he said.

Meanwhile, the prosecution, represented by Deputy Public Prosecutor Law Chin How, urged the court to impose a severe sentence, stating that the accused’s actions not only tarnished his family’s reputation but also directly undermined public confidence in the integrity and transparency of government administration.

“As the senior private secretary to the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, the accused should have safeguarded his future instead of engaging in corrupt practices. The offence he committed also involved a substantial amount,” he said.

-- BERNAMA