2 JPN staff get 12 months’ jail, RM10,000 fine for taking bribe

 Judge rules Yuliana Saat and Azmi Amir Lunji failed to dispel the statutory presumptions on the charge of receiving RM2,000 for MyKad applications.

According to the charge sheet, Yuliana Saat and Azmi Amir Lunji had obtained a RM2,000 bribe from a woman at the Semporna JPN branch on April 26, 2017. (Pexels pic)

PETALING JAYA:

 Two national registration department (JPN) personnel were sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment and a RM10,000 fine each by the sessions court in Tawau, Sabah, after it found them guilty of receiving a bribe eight years ago.

Judge Jason Juga pronounced the sentence upon Yuliana Saat, 50, and Azmi Amir Lunji, 48, for charges under Section 17(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 at the end of the defence, Harian Metro reported.

In his judgment, Juga said both the accused failed to dispel the statutory presumptions under Section 50 of the Act, based on the balance of probabilities.

“As such, the prosecution has proven the charges against both the accused beyond reasonable doubt.

“Should both the accused fail to pay the fine, the accused are to serve an additional six months in prison,” he said.

According to the charge sheet, Yuliana and Azmi had obtained a RM2,000 bribe from a woman known as Sufiah Said at the Semporna JPN branch on April 26, 2017.

The bribe was given in return for receiving and processing identity card applications for Sufiah’s 12-year-old twins.

The prosecution was led by MACC prosecutor Rekhraj Singh, while Yuliana was represented by lawyer Datu Baginda Datu Laja and Azmi by lawyer Jakariya Ab Jalil.

The court allowed for their sentences to be postponed for 14 days from today as the accused are filing applications to appeal at the High Court.

However, they paid their fines today. - FMT