Former Senate Deputy President Claims Trial To Bribery Involving Luxury Vehicle

MELAKA, June 26  (Bernama) -- Former Dewan Negara deputy president, Datuk Seri Mohamad Ali Mohamad, pleaded not guilty in the Ayer Keroh Sessions Court today to a charge of accepting a luxury car as a bribe in 2015.

He entered the plea after the charge was read out to him before Judge Elesabet Paya Wan.

According to the charge sheet, Mohamad Ali is accused of corruptly accepting a Range Rover Sport from a company director as an inducement to award subcontract works for a land reclamation project in Kota Laksamana.

The alleged offence took place at the company’s office in Taman Kota Syahbandar, Melaka Tengah, in June 2015.

The charge, under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, is punishable under Section 24(1) of the same Act, which carries up to 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of not less than five times the value of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher.

Deputy public prosecutor Datuk Ahmad Akram Gharib urged the court to maintain the same bail conditions set by the Shah Alam Sessions Court on June 18 - namely RM60,000 bail with one surety, surrender of the accused’s passport, and a prohibition on contacting prosecution witnesses.

He also applied for the case previously filed in Shah Alam to be transferred to Ayer Keroh so that both matters could be heard together.

Defence counsel Md Yunos Shariff raised no objection, and the court fixed August 14 for mention.

On June 18, Mohamad Ali had claimed trial in the Shah Alam Sessions Court to 20 charges of accepting RM235,000 in cash and three luxury cars in relation to the same reclamation project.

-- BERNAMA