Cop found guilty of bribery

Star 4/1/2008

KUALA LUMPUR: A traffic policeman was sentenced to three years' jail and fined RM45,000 for three counts of bribery.

Kpl Abdul Rahman Baba, 45, who was suspended from his job four years ago, however got a stay of execution pending an appeal upon an application by his lawyer on Friday.

However, his bail was increased from RM3,000 to RM6,000 and with an additional condition for him to settle his fine on Friday.

He was charged with asking a RM5,000 bribe from unemployed Mohd Hafizi Mohd Hakim as an inducement not to take action against him after he had committed a traffic offence.

He was accused of committing the offence at the police station on Jalan Tun H.S.Lee at about 6.30pm on Dec 11, 2001.

Abdul Rahman faces a second charge of agreeing to accept a RM1,000 bribe from Mohd Hafizi for the same matter at the same place that day.

Abdul Rahman was also charged with accepting a RM1,000 bribe from Mohd Hafizi through his (Abdul Rahman) colleague, K/Kpl Husin Abdul Rahman on Dec 14, 2001 for the same purpose.

In her verdict Friday, Sessions Court judge Nursinah Adzmi ruled that the defence had failed to prove reasonable doubt in the prosecution's case.

In convicting him, Nursinah said Abdul Rahman's defence was mere denial.

"An accident had occurred when the accused has chased him (Mohd Hafzi) on his motorcycle," she said.

The judge said although there are two different versions of the incident, the court noticed that the accused had not taken action against Mohd Hafizi after the accident.

"As a traffic policeman, why is it that he did not take action against him or ask his colleague to issue a summons against Mohd Hafizi after finding out that his car did not have road tax?," she asked.

In sentencing, Nursinah said she considered bribery a serious offence as it was rampant in the country and the likelihood of him losing his job due to the conviction.

Pleading for leniency earlier, lawyer Dr Mohd Radzuan Ibrahim asked the court to consider that his client had served the police force for 23 years with an excellent service record, was a sole breadwinner for his family and a first-time offender.

DPP Iznina Hanim Hashim pressed for a deterrent sentence saying that the accused had tarnish the image of the police force.

He paid his fine late afternoon.