Mohd Saifullah Mohd Minggu, also known as Mohd Hisham, former Senior Private Secretary to the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, was sentenced to six years in prison and fined RM8.8 million after being found guilty of eight counts of receiving bribes totaling RM1.77 million. The corruption was linked to ministry advertising service tenders in 2018.
Sessions Court Judge Suzana Hussin imposed the sentence after determining that the defence failed to rebut the presumption under Section 50(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act on the balance of probabilities.
During the proceedings, the 34-year-old, dressed in a blue suit and seated in the dock, broke down in tears as the judge delivered the verdict.
Judge Suzana also ordered that Mohd Saifullah would face an additional seven-year prison term if he fails to pay the fine.
In her remarks, the judge said: “The court has convicted you on all charges. The court has considered mitigation to reduce the sentence and heard arguments from the prosecution for sentencing. I hope this punishment will serve as a lesson and prevent you from committing offences in the future. You are still young, and I hope you will repent and change for the better.”
