A traffic police corporal has been sentenced to four months in prison by the Kuantan Sessions Court on Thursday after being found guilty of four alternative charges involving the acceptance of RM1,000 in bribes.
Judge Sazlina Safie handed down the sentence against Ahmad Amin Khairul Komar, 42, after ruling that the prosecution had successfully proven all elements of the offences under Section 165 of the Penal Code.
The court found that the defence had failed to raise reasonable doubt against the prosecution’s case, with all prison terms ordered to run concurrently from the date of conviction.
Based on the charges, Ahmad Amin was accused of receiving RM1,000 through four online money transfers made into his wife’s bank account by an individual who had official dealings with him.
The offences were allegedly committed between Oct 3, 2017 and March 2, 2018, when he was serving with the Investigation and Enforcement Division of the Traffic Branch at the Pekan District Police Headquarters.
Section 165 of the Penal Code provides a maximum sentence of two years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both upon conviction.
During mitigation, defence lawyer Melissa Sukri urged the court to impose a minimum fine and a one-day jail sentence, taking into account that her client had been dealing with the case since investigations began in 2021.
She said Ahmad Amin had no previous disciplinary records throughout his nearly 20 years of service with the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) and had even received recommendations from his department head for promotion.
Melissa added that the accused had been suspended from duty following the case and was facing financial difficulties, while expressing regret and a desire to rebuild his life with his wife and children.
However, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Deputy Public Prosecutor Ezuain Farhana Ahmad urged the court to impose an appropriate custodial sentence, stressing that bribery involving public officers was a serious integrity issue regardless of the amount involved.
Following the decision, the defence applied for a stay of execution to allow an appeal to be filed at the Kuantan High Court.
The court granted the application pending the appeal process and increased bail to RM10,000 with one surety. Ahmad Amin’s international passport was also ordered to be retained by the court.
