KUALA LUMPUR: A Pakistani was sentenced to 30 days' jail and fined RM10,000 by the Sessions Court for bribing an immigration officer RM12,500 to release 20 of his countrymen and a Bangladeshi to leave the country.
The sentence was handed down to Muhammad Irfan, 34, after he pleaded guilty to the offence today.
Judge Rozina Ayob ordered the accused to serve another 30 days in jail if he fails to pay the fine.
Muhammad Irfan had earlier admitted to giving the money to Muhamad Faizal Ahmad, an Immigration Department officer attached to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) entry point control unit.
He was accused of bribing Muhammad Faizal who was an agent of the government in exchange for the release of 20 of his countrymen and a Bangladeshi national so they could return to their countries without any legal action taken against them.
He committed the offence in front of a restaurant in Putrajaya between 3.25pm and 3.32pm on Nov 16.
The offence under Section 214 of the Penal Code carries a maximum jail term of 10 years, or a fine or both, if convicted.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) deputy public prosecutor Mahadi Abdul Jumaat urged for a deterrent sentence saying that that public interest needed to be considered by the court in sentencing.
"The accused was lucky to have been offered an alternative charge, but public interest needs to be considered.
"The case involves national security as the accused had dared put himself on the line for the process of the release of the 21 foreigners who had overstayed in the country.
"The court should impose a jail term and a fine which reflects the seriousness of the offence committed by the accused," he said.
In pleading for leniency, the father of four who was unrepresented said he was the sole breadwinner of his family and his wife just gave birth two days ago.
"I plead for a lenient sentence. My baby was born two days ago and I still have not gotten the chance to settle my child's birth matters," he said.
Meanwhile, in a different court, Bangladeshi Ahmmed Md Rana, 37, who was also detained in the same operation was charged with bribing the same immigration officer RM8,500 for the purpose of releasing eight of his countrymen to return to their country without any legal action taken against them.
He was accused of committing the offence at the same place between 6.10pm and 6.15pm on Nov 16.
However, no plea was recorded as the accused did not understand the charge that was read to him in Bahasa Malaysia.
Judge Azura Alwi set this Monday for mention for an interpreter to read the charge to the accused in his native language.
She allowed Ahmmed RM20,000 bail in one surety pending mention.