THREE policemen from Petaling Jaya district police station have claimed trial to multiple charges of corruption at the Shah Alam Sessions Court this morning.

Ramesh Nagayan, Mohamad Shafiq Solah and Muizzuddin Muhammad pleaded not guilty after the charges were read before judge Rozilah Salleh.

Ramesh, a former senior investigating officer, is slapped with four counts of corruption related charges and two alternative charges.

Shafiq, is also charged with four corruption related offences and given three alternative charges.

Meanwhile, Muizzuddin is accused of one count of corruption charge with one alternative charge.

All three were said to have accepted a certain amount of money from Kumar Cheladorai Rajagopal on several occasions to secure the release of three migrant workers last year. 

According to the charge sheet, ASP Ramesh, who is now attached to the Batu Gajah district police station in Perak, was accused of attempting to ask for a bribe involving RM9,000 from Kumar for the release of the three migrant workers on May 28 last year about 4.30pm.

He was also accused of accepting RM1,500 from Parimanan on the same date and time for the release of the three foreign workers.

Ramesh and Shafiq were later charged together for accepting RM3,000 from Kumar on May 30, 2019, about 10pm to secure the release of the three foreigners.

Both were also accused of accepting RM4,000 on June 4, 2019, from Kumar for the same reason.

Meanwhile, Shafiq was charged with accepting another RM3,000 from Kumar on June 3, 2019, to release the trio.

Both Shafiq and Muizzuddin were also charged together for receiving RM2,000 from Parimanan on May 30 last year.

All the main charges came under Section 17(a) and Section 16(b) of the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, which provides for imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine not less than five times the amount of the bribe involved, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

For the alternative charges, Ramesh, Shafiq and Muizzuddin were charged under Section 165 of the Penal Code.

Ramesh, as a civil servant, was charged for having received without consideration RM1,500 from Parimanan on May 28 and RM3,000 from Kumar on June 3.

Shafiq, meanwhile, was charged for the similar offence for having received without consideration RM3,000 and RM2,000 on May 30 and another RM3,000 on June 3.

Muizzuddin was charged for having received without consideration RM2,000 on May 30.

They face a jail term of up to two years or a fine, or both.

Justice Rozilah set bail at RM3,000 for each main charge and fixed case management for March 6.

Mohd Suffian Jaafar and Fadzley Jalil prosecuted.

Ramesh’s counsel were Asmadi Hussein and Azrul Zulkifli Stork while Shafiq and Muizzuddin were represented by Ridha Abdah Subri. – January 23, 2020.