Ex-MMEA director gets 20 months' jail for accepting bribe
Zulfadli Nayan was accused of using his position to refrain from taking action in an investigation involving the vessel MT Singa Gangsa, owned by Alamgala Resources Sdn Bhd. (Bernama pic)
PETALING JAYA : A former Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) director was today sentenced to 20 months in prison by the Johor Bahru sessions court for accepting a RM10,000 bribe five years ago.
Zulfadli Nayan, 44, was found guilty after the court found that the prosecution had succeeded in proving its case beyond a reasonable doubt, Bernama reported.
Judge Ahmad Kamal Arifin Ismail ordered the former Tanjung Sedili maritime zone MMEA director to serve the sentence from today.
Zulfadli's lawyer, Fazaly Ali Ghazaly requested a stay of execution on the jail sentence, but it was dismissed.
Earlier, the lawyer requested the court to only impose a fine on his client, who has four children aged three to 11 to support.
He said Zulfadli was suspended from work as senior assistant director of MMEA's international relations and coordination branch on May 23, 2021, and had since been working as an e-hailing driver and taking electrical wiring jobs, earning between RM2,000 and RM3,000 a month.
'He also suffers from gout, serious migraines and gastritis for which he has to take his medication regularly,' Fazaly added.
Deputy public prosecutor Zander Lim from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission appeared for the prosecution.
On May 23, 2021, Zulfadli claimed trial to a charge of accepting a cash bribe of RM10,000 from shipping company owner Wan Fauzi Wan Kamaruddin at a restaurant in Jalan Yahya Awal, Johor Bahru at 10pm on Oct 2, 2020.
He was accused of using his position at the time to refrain from taking action in an investigation involving the vessel MT Singa Gangsa, owned by Alamgala Resources Sdn Bhd.
The ship was detained by KM Mulia of MMEA's Tanjung Sedili maritime zone on Sept 17, 2020.
Zulfadli was charged under Section 165 of the Penal Code with receiving a bribe, which carries a jail sentence of up to two years, a fine or both upon conviction.
On Dec 18 last year, Kamal ordered him to enter his defence after finding the prosecution had established a prima facie case against him.
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