KUCHING: Two restaurant operators were charged in the Kuching Special Court for Corruption yesterday with graft.
Indian national, Balaji Ramachandran, 38, and Abdul Nasar Abdul Kassim, 52, from Sungai Buloh, Selangor, pleaded not guilty to committing the offence two years ago.
Balaji, who has been residing in Sarawak for almost four years, and Nasar were jointly charged with offering RM500 in bribe to Immigration Officer, Azmee Amin, at a restaurant at KLND at Kota Sentosa at about 12.10pm on 12 Nov, 2015.
According to the fact sheet, the bribe was an inducement for Azmee not to take action against a worker at Balaji’s curry house restaurant, who had abused his temporary employment visit.
Balaji and Nasar were charged under Section 17(b) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 (Act 694), punishable under Section 24 of the same act and read together with together with Section 34 of the Penal Code.
Judge Nixon Kennedy Kumbong released both accused on a RM10,000 court bail, with two sureties, each.
He also fixed 29 March for case management and 10-13 April for trial.
If found guilty, both accused face a jail term not exceeding 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the value of the bribe.
Appearing for the prosecution was MACC Prosecuting Officer, Mohd Asri Abu Mansur while both accused were unrepresented.
