Corruption hearing involving cultural officer postponed

 

The trial of a former public officer who was charged with six counts of receiving bribes, amounting to RM257,600, at the Ipoh Sessions Court, in July and August last year, has been adjourned to Feb 9 for a plea bargain.

At today's proceedings, lawyer Khairilazwar Khalil, representing Herman Ibrahim, 46, a former Kumpulan Selendang Perak Cultural Officer at the State Secretary’s Office, asked the court to set a new date for mention for plea bargain proceeding.

Khairilazwar told the court that the defence would write a letter of application to the prosecution for a plea bargain.

Following which, judge S Indra Nehru set Feb 9 for mention for the plea bargain proceeding under Section 172C of the Criminal Procedure Code.

On July 17 last year, Herman was charged with three counts of receiving bribes amounting to RM149,600 at different places while serving as an agent of the Perak Sukma XIX Secretariat 2018.

On the first count, Herman was charged with accepting RM7,500 without consideration from the owner of Pro Explore Event Management company, Mohd Zulkhibiri Abdul Mutalib, whom he knew had connection with his official duty.

The offence was allegedly committed at Public Bank Berhad, Jalan Sultan Idris Shah, here on Nov 15, 2018.

On the second count, he was charged with accepting RM68,600 from Raja Khairy Ehsan Raja Nordin by transferring the money to a third party account, Ohana Service Company, to open a laundry shop, Eh Matrix Resources, which was owned by his father-in-law, Bustanudin Bustaman.

The offence was allegedly committed at the Bank Rakyat Medan Gopeng branch at Jalan Raja Dr Nazrin Shah on Feb 14, 2019.

On the third count, Herman was alleged to have received RM73,500 without consideration, from Raja Khairy Ehsan, who is also the owner of Rainhousemusic, through a third party, Maarof Ahmad, whom he knew had connection with his official duty, in the compound of the Perak Stadium on Feb 18, 2019.

On Aug 14 last year, Herman was charged with three counts of accepting bribes, totalling RM108,000, in his capacity as an agent of the Perak Sukma XIX Secretariat 2018.

On the first and second count, he was alleged to have accepted RM50,000 and RM40,000, respectively, from the owner of Ainaz Marketing, whom he knew had connection with his official duty, in front of the RHB Bank in Jalan Tun Sambanthan here on Nov 21, 2018. and on Feb 1, 2019.

He was also alleged to have accepted RM18,000 from the owner of Shadess Event Planner, whom he knew had connection with his official duty, at the State Secretary’s Office here on Nov 18, 2018.

All the charges were framed under Section 165 of the Penal Code, which provides an imprisonment for up to two years, or with fine, or both, if found guilty.

The prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutor Nurul Wahida Jalaluddin.

- Bernama