A 48-year-old Education Service Officer has been sentenced to four months in prison and fined RM15,000 after being found guilty of accepting RM5,000 from a contractor in 2020.
Abdul Samad Amara was also ordered to serve an additional six months in prison if he fails to pay the fine. Sessions Court Judge Jason Juga handed down the sentence after hearing mitigation submissions from the defence and arguments from the prosecution.
According to the charge, Abdul Samad accepted RM5,000 in cash from a company owner inside a Perodua Myvi at Taman Univila here on September 11, 2020.
At the time, he was aware that the man had dealings connected to his official duties as Head of the Infrastructure and Development Unit at the Tawau District Education Office.
The payment was linked to repair and maintenance works at Sekolah Kebangsaan Balung, Tawau, worth RM223,247, which had been awarded to the contractor’s company.
Abdul Samad was charged under Section 165 of the Penal Code, which provides for up to two years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both upon conviction.
The prosecution was conducted by Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Sabah prosecuting officer Norsham Saharom, while Abdul Samad was represented by lawyer Muhammad Abdul Karim.
Earlier, the defence had applied for a stay of execution pending an appeal to the High Court.
The court allowed the stay of the prison sentence but ordered Abdul Samad to pay the RM15,000 fine immediately.
