SIBU: A police officer was on Monday (Jan 17) ordered to be put behind bars for five months for two charges of graft.
Sergeant Wan Bedwi Wan Yusup, 30, pleaded no contest and was sentenced to five months’ imprisonment for each charge with the sentences running concurrently.
In the first alternative charge, he was accused of accepting RM5,000 from one Lau Kah Hing as an inducement to not take action for a police report made against the latter on the first floor of the Sibu Central Police Station (CPS) at about 2am on Dec 22, 2017.
For the second alternative charge, he was said to have accepted RM5,000 from Lau Kah Hing for a police report made against the latter, on the paveway of Lishing Sdn Bhd at about 10.10pm on Dec 28, 2017.
Both offences were committed under Section 165 of the Penal Code and punishable under the same Section and Act, which provides for a jail term of up to two years, fine or both.
According to the facts of case tendered, the complainant, a former director at Syarikat Institut Memandu Maju Jaya Sdn Bhd was previously being investigated by the accused based on a report lodged by one Tan Tung Kok on Dec 21, 2017 at 7.26pm against the complainant.
On Dec 22, 2017 at 12.28am, the accused instructed one Corporal Zulkifli Ramlee to call the complainant, asking him to come to Sibu CPS to discuss the status of his case.
On the same day at 1.28am, the accused, Corporal Zulkifli, Tan and the complainant held a discussion.
After the discussion, the accused had a private meeting with the complainant and also wanted to speak to Tan after that.
In the private meeting, the accused told the complainant that he might be arrested and asked him, “Tolong macam mana?”.
On seeing the accused showing five fingers, the complainant assumed the sign meant RM5,000.
The complainant then said he did not have enough cash at the time and asked to withdraw money from the bank.
While the complainant went to the bank, the accused advised Tan to lodge another police report to withdraw his previous police report against the complainant.
The accused also said that the complainant would return all of the company’s belongings (cash money) that were taken by the complainant to Tan.
On Dec 22, 2017, the complainant had placed RM5,000 on the accused’s desk.
The complainant then expressed his thanks and shook the accused’s hand before leaving the room promptly.
On Dec 28, 2017, the accused through a phone conversation had asked the complainant to hand over the company’s car key and other company belongings to Tan.
On the same day, the accused asked the complainant about his reward regarding his action of helping him regarding the case.
Later, the complainant set an arrangement with the accused to meet at BSN Sibu, Jalan Nyabor near to the CPS.
After the accused took the RM5,000 from the complainant, the accused ran and threw away the money after noticing Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officers approaching his car.
The accused was subsequently arrested by Senior Assistant Superintendant Muhammad Firdaus Omar from MACC and a search was conducted on his car and RM5,000 was recovered near the car.
In the course of investigation, it was revealed that Tan had made a withdrawal report against the complainant on Dec 22, 2017.
As an assistant investigation officer, the accused had not told the complainant about the withdrawal police report by Tan.
The RM5,000 from the complainant was for the accused to not arrest him or proceed his investigation against him.
Tang had lodged another report against the complainant on Dec 24, 2017 because there were some belongings of the company that were not returned to him by the complainant.
