A FORMER chief executive officer (CEO) of a private college in Kuantan pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court today, to two counts of accepting bribes amounting to RM5,000 to issue an academic transcript and certificate without following proper procedure seven years ago.

Amran Mustaffa, 58, was accused of having received the bribes on October 21 and 24, 2015, from a male student, which was paid online through a middleman, as an inducement to issue an academic transcript and certificate of the Foundation in Science programme at Kolej Sentral without having to attend classes.

He was charged under Section 16 (a) (A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 which is punishable under Section 24 of the same law which provides for a maximum jail term of 20 years and a fine of five times the value of the bribe or RM10,000, or whichever is higher, upon conviction.

MACC prosecuting officer Kamariah Seman offered bail of RM10,000 in one surety for both charges.

Lawyer Ahmad Mawardi Che Hasan, who represented Amran, appealed for the amount to be reduced on the grounds that his client has nine school-going children and was without any income for the past five years.

Judge Ahmad Zamzani Mohd Zain allowed bail of RM8,000 in one surety for both charges and set additional conditions for the accused to report to the MACC office every month and surrender his passport to the court until the disposal of the case.

The court set May 17 for mention of the case. – Bernama, April 14, 2022.