ALOR STAR: A Gunung Bongsu 02 Felda manager has claimed trial at the Sessions Court here today to six counts of corruption charges amounting to RM55,786.54 from the sales of oil palm produced by the estate five years ago.
According to a statement issued by the Putrajaya Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) this evening, Mohamad Zairul Azli Jusoh, 37, was charged with committing the offences between Aug 2017 and May 2018.
Based on the charges, Zairul was alleged to have abused his position as an officer with a government statutory body holding the position of a manager at Gunung Bongsu 02 Felda in Selama, Kedah to solicit and accepting bribes.
Zairul was accused of accepting the kickbacks through the sales of fresh oil palm belonging to Gunung Bongsu 2 Felda to Kilang Arah Kawasan Sdn Bhd.
He was alleged to have instructed six tranches of payments from the fresh oil palm sales to be paid into his personal banking account at Sungai Petani Malayan Banking branch, instead of Felda's account.
For the first charge, he was accused to have committed the offence on Aug 8, 2017 at the Sungai Petani Maybank branch involving fresh oil palm sales worth 17,256.63.
For the remaining chargers, Zairul was accused to have committed the same offences on Oct 9, 2017 involving oil palm sales worth RM7,489.65; Nov 7, 2017 (RM8,790.90); Dec 6, 2017 (RM7,009.66); Jan 5, 2018 (RM 8,392.38) and May 23, 2018 (RM6,847.32).
The remaining sales payments were also made into the same account at the same Maybank branch.
All the charges were framed under Section 23(1) of the MACC Act 2009 which is punishable under Section 24(1) of the same Act.
If convicted, he could be jailed up to 20 years and fined no less than five times the amount of bribe, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, for each of the charge.
Zairul claimed trial to all six charges when they were read before Judge Jean Sharmila.
MACC Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohd Zulfadhli Azharudin prosecuted while the accused was not represented.
The court subsequently set the bail at RM7,000 with one surety and fixed Nov 27 for mention date.