Immigration Officer Charged With 53 Counts Of Graft; Wife Accused Of Using Illegal Proceeds

SHAH ALAM, Jan 19 (Bernama) -- An Immigration Officer Grade 22 was charged in the Sessions Court here today with 53 counts of corruption and money laundering involving a total of RM789,100, while his wife was also charged with using proceeds from illegal activities to purchase gold.

Of the charges, 42 counts involved corruption, in which Mohamad Fazli Abdul Rahim, 46, was alleged to have received bribes amounting to RM510,500. The bribes were allegedly transferred online by a foreign national, as well as through a company and a bank account belonging to a local woman.

The offences were allegedly committed at two bank branches in Subang Jaya and Telok Panglima Garang, Selangor, between Feb 4, 2023, and Aug 26, 2024, as an inducement for allowing foreigners to enter the country without complying with procedures set by the Immigration Department.

He was charged under Section 16(a)(B) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, punishable under Section 24(1) of the same Act.

If convicted, Mohamad Fazli faces imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount or value of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher.

MACC prosecuting officer Muhammad Arif Asyraf Mohd Khairi recommended bail of RM50,000 in one surety, while lawyer Mohamad Zahid Ahmad requested a lower bail amount.

Judge Datuk Mohd Nasir Nordin subsequently set bail at RM20,000 in one surety, with additional conditions that Mohamad Fazli report to the nearest MACC office and refrain from interfering with prosecution witnesses. The case was fixed for mention on March 10.

Meanwhile, Mohamad Fazli also pleaded not guilty to seven charges of transferring money amounting to RM278,600, which were allegedly proceeds of illegal activities, from a company’s bank account to three individuals at the same two banks between July 2, 2022, and Aug 19, 2024.

For the money laundering offence, he was charged under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti- Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (Act 613), punishable under Section 4(1) of the same Act.

If convicted, the accused faces imprisonment of up to 15 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount or value of the proceeds from the illegal activity or RM3 million, whichever is higher.

The court then allowed the accused to post bail of RM24,000 in two sureties, similar to the decision of Judge Awang Kerisnada Awang Mahmud of Sessions Court Two, Shah Alam.

Earlier, in Sessions Court Two, Mohamad Fazli pleaded not guilty to four counts of accepting bribes totalling RM10,400 for allegedly allowing the entry of foreigners without complying with procedures, an offence under Section 16(a)(B) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, before Judge Awang Kerisnada.

The accused’s wife, Suhana Ismail, 44, who is also an immigration officer Grade KP22, was likewise charged before Judge Awang Kerisnada with seven counts of using proceeds from illegal activities amounting to RM125,850 to purchase gold.

Suhana pleaded not guilty to all charges under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (Act 613), which were allegedly committed at a bank in Telok Panglima Garang, Kuala Langat, between Aug 12, 2023, and Feb 27, 2024.

The court then allowed Suhana, who was also represented by lawyer Mohamad Zahid Ahmad, to be granted bail of RM40,000 in two sureties, and fixed the couple’s case for mention on March 10.

The prosecution was conducted by MACC prosecuting officer Mohd Alimi Mustapha.

-- BERNAMA