Ex-oil Company Exec Charged With Over RM400,000 In Bribes

SHAH ALAM, July 8 (Bernama) -- A former transport management head at an oil exploration company pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here today to 12 charges of accepting bribes amounting to over RM400,000 between 2021 and 2023.

Mohd Khairil Mohd Anuar, 41, faces seven counts of receiving RM367,000 in cash and four counts involving electronic items worth RM36,168. He is also accused of accepting RM23,000 to cover renovation costs at his home in Bandar Bukit Mahkota, Hulu Langat.

The alleged bribes were received from a company’s chief operating officer and senior executive as inducement to provide technical assessments in support of payment claims. The offences were said to have taken place at several locations in Hulu Langat, Ampang and Kuala Lumpur between June 2020 and 2023.

All charges are framed under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of not less than five times the amount of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher.

In a separate charge, Mohd Khairil also pleaded not guilty to money laundering involving RM90,000, allegedly used to purchase three land lots totalling 5.21 hectares in Hulu Perak on Nov 25, 2020 at the Pengkalan Hulu district and land office.

The charge falls under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, which carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison and a fine of at least five times the value of the proceeds or the instrument of the offence at the time it was committed, or RM5 million, whichever is higher.

MACC deputy public prosecutor Mohd Radzi Shah Ab Razak proposed bail of RM60,000 to RM80,000 with conditions including surrendering the accused’s passport and monthly reporting to MACC Putrajaya.

Defence counsel Syed Naqiuddin Shahab requested RM40,000 bail, citing his client as the sole breadwinner and cooperative during investigations.

Judge Awang Kerisnada Awang Mahmud set bail at RM70,000 with one local surety residing in Selangor or Kuala Lumpur. The accused must surrender his passport, report monthly to MACC Putrajaya and refrain from contacting prosecution witnesses.

The case is set for mention on Aug 18.

-- BERNAMA