Two Bangladeshi men claim trial to bribing immigration officer with RM15,000

New Straits Times

a day ago

KUALA LUMPUR: A Bangladeshi man claimed trial at the Sessions Court today to bribing an Immigration Department officer with RM15,000 to bypass entry procedures into Malaysia for six of his fellow countrymen in May.
Kabir Hossain, 51, clad in a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission lock-up T-shirt, made his plea before judge Azura Alwi.
According to the charge, he had committed the act by giving the bribe to a man to be handed over to an immigration officer at 2.17pm at a unit in Jalan Nyonya off Jalan Changkat TH on May 14.
The offence under Section 16(b)(B) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act punishable under Section 24(1) carries a maximum 20-year jail term and a fine not more than five times the bribe sum or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
Prosecuting officer Mohd Hanafi Firdhaus Abd Latif urged the court to set bail at RM10,000 with two sureties.
Lawyer Nur Aida Zainuddin asked the court to allow bail for Kabir, who came to Malaysia seeking a better life to support his wife, their five-year-old child and aging parents.
"The accused has no relatives in Malaysia, aside from a fellow Bangladeshi, who was also arrested in the case.
"The accused's money has been seized by the MACC and he does not have any savings," she said.
At another Sessions Court, an employment agent, Akter Hossain, 55, also a Bangladeshi, pleaded not guilty to a charge of conspiring with Kabir to bribe the officer.
He made his plea before judge Rosli Ahmad.
Akter was accused of committing the offence at the same time and place.
The charge under Section 28(1)(c) of the act, read with Section 16(b)(B) and punishable under Section 24(1), carries the same penalties as the earlier charge.
Hanafi Firdhaus suggested the same bail of RM10,000 with two sureties.
Aida, however, asked for a lower bail as Akter suffers from multiple health issues and was hospitalised for three days while under detention.
"He is self-employed with no fixed income. He came to Malaysia with his wife and they have the Malaysia My Second Home visa.
"His wife is fully dependent on him and she has no one else here.
"Since his remand, he and his wife's bank cards were seized by the MACC.
"I ask for a minimal bail and Akter has pledged to attend all court proceedings," she said.
Both courts allowed Kabir and Akter a RM10,000 with two sureties bail and ordered them to surrender their passport to the court and report to the MACC monthly.
The court set Aug 29 for the next mention of the case.