Two Armed Forces senior officers charged with corruption again

 

Two senior officers of the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM), who were charged with five counts of corruption each at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court yesterday were brought to the Sessions Court in Shah Alam today to face more charges over the same projects.

The charges were for accepting gratification in connection with the awarding of Defence Ministry projects.

Colonel Che Ahmad Idris, 54, and Brigadier-General Mohammed Feizol Anuar Ayob, 50, pleaded guilty to the charges which were read separately before judge Yang Zaimey Yang Ghazali.

Ahmad was charged in his capacity as the then head of the Strategic Cyber Warfare Branch, Defence Intelligence Staff Division, at the Defence Ministry, with receiving GBP4,500, which was equivalent to RM25,000 from FEHM Entity Sdn Bhd (FEHM Entity) managing director Elias Jemadi Tajudin as gratification for appointing the company to provide maintenance service at the division.

He was charged with committing the offence at Kompleks Induk Stride, Taman Bukit Mewah Fasa 9, Kajang on Nov 22 last year.

As for Feizol, he was charged in his capacity as the then military adviser to the Defence Minister, with soliciting and agreeing to accept RM150,000 from Elias as an inducement to help submit a letter of intent, dated Sept 5, 2018, from FEHM Entity to the Defence Minister to be a strategic partner and contractor for maintenance of intelligence equipment at the Defence Intelligence Staff Division.

Both the offences were allegedly committed at a cafe in Setia Alam in September last year.

All the charges were framed under Section 16(a)(B) of the MACC Act which provides an imprisonment for up to 20 years and fine of not less than fives times the amount of the gratification, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, if found guilty.

Zaimey allowed Ahmad and Feizol to be released on bail of RM15,000 and RM10,000 respectively and set Nov 30 for mention.

Deputy public prosecutor Nurdihana Rosdi prosecuted, while lawyers Gooi Soon Seng and Azrul Zulkifli Stork represented Ahmad and Feizol, respectively.

In the Sessions Court yesterday, Ahmad was charged with soliciting and agreeing to accept RM500,000 in gratification, as well as three counts of accepting RM105,000 from Elias as an inducement to appoint the company through direct negotiation to carry out maintenance services at the division.

As for Feizol, he pleaded not guilty to five counts of accepting a total of RM128,000 from Elias through FEHM Entity executive director Hishamuddin Johari and project manager Nurin Nazwa Elias Jemadi as an inducement for him to help submit a letter of intent by the company to be a strategic partner and contractor for maintenance of intelligence equipment at the Defence Intelligence Staff Division in the Defence Ministry.

- Bernama