Former state fisheries development director jailed six months, fined RM25,000 for graft
SHAH ALAM: A former Selangor director of the Malaysian Fisheries Development Authority (LKIM) was sentenced to six months in prison and a fine of RM25,000 by the Sessions Court here on Thursday (May 22) for gratification.
He was found guilty of accepting RM5,000 without consideration from a person concerned with his official functions five years ago.
Judge Datuk Mohd Nasir Nordin handed down the sentence on Khusairi Husain, 59, after finding that the prosecution had succeeded in proving the case beyond a reasonable doubt at the end of the defence case.
Khusairi was ordered to serve the jail sentence Thursday and to serve another three months in prison if he failed to pay the fine.
However, the court allowed a stay of the execution of the sentence and increased bail to RM9,000.
Mohd Nasir, in his judgment, said that the defence by Khusairi was merely a denial, and there was no consistent and concrete evidence to refute the charges presented by the prosecution.
"The accused admitted receiving the money but claimed it was for a donation to the LKIM Selangor Welfare and Sports Club, but failed to produce any receipts and supporting documents to prove that the money was handed over to the club and even admitted that some of the money was used for other purposes," he said.
Khusairi was charged as the then director of LKIM Selangor with receiving RM5,000 from a general manager of a statutory body, an agency which he knew concerned his official duties, at the Sungai Besar Area Fishermen's Association Office, Sabak Bernam on Nov 24, 2020.
The charge, framed under Section 165 of the Penal Code, provides imprisonment for up to two years or a fine, or both, upon conviction.
Earlier, during mitigation, lawyer Adly Zulfadly Zulkefly, representing Khusairi, told the court that his client was a single father with school-going children and an ailing father to support.
He said Khusairi had served LKIM for almost 30 years and was a recipient of an excellent service award, as well as with no criminal record.
Prosecuting officer Mohd Aliff Shahruzaman, from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), appeared for the prosecution.
A total of 18 prosecution witnesses and eight defence witnesses testified during the trial of the case, which began in 2022. – Bernama
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