SEREMBAN: He attempted to bribe a police officer with RM50 after he was caught driving without a licence.
Now, R. Mahasvaran has to pay 30 times the amount of the bribe after he pleaded guilty to giving gratification, at the Special Corruptions Court, here today.
The 30-year-old faced two charges under Section 17b of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 and Section 214 of the Penal Code for the offence, of which the latter was offered as an alternative charge.
He was accused of offering a RM50 bribe to Inspector Mohammad Nasrun Ab Rahman at the Feldajaya junction in Jempol to conceal his offence under the Road Transport Act 1987 for driving without a licence on May 5 at 2am.
He pleaded guilty to the alternative charge of offering gratification for the purpose to conceal an offence, which carries a maximum seven years’ jail term and liable to a fine.
According to the facts of the case, Nasrun had stopped a Mitsubishi Triton, driven by the suspect, during a roadblock.
He had asked the accused for his MyKad and driving licence for inspection. However, the accused handed over his MyKad and RM50.
When Nasrun questioned him over the RM50, the suspect answered that was to “settle” his offence for not having a driving licence.
Judge Fathiyah Idris sentenced Mahasvaran to a RM1,500 fine, in default of three months’ imprisonment.
State MACC deputy public prosecutor Nurdiyanah Mohd Nawawi prosecuted while Faizal Khalid represented Mahasvaran.