A SENIOR superintendent in the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) was today sentenced to three years in prison and two strokes of the cane by the Sessions Court in Kuala Lumpur for misappropriation of US$6.94 million (RM29.2 million) in cash evidence linked to a major corruption case.

Judge Suzana Hussin handed down the sentence after Shahrum Nizam Baharuddin, 41, changed his plea to guilty to an alternative charge when the case came up for mention today.

He was ordered to serve the jail sentence from the date of arrest, which was September 13, 2021.

Shahrum was one of three officers detained for abuse of power and misappropriation in the case involving former Malaysian External Intelligence Organisation director-general Hasanah Abdul Hamid.

On April 12, 2021, Hasanah was given a discharge not amounting to an acquittal by the High Court in her trial for criminal breach of trust involving US$12.1 million belonging to the Malaysian government.

Today, when handing down the sentence, Suzana said she hoped that it would be a lesson to the accused to not repeat the mistake.

Meanwhile, Suzana also ordered that property purchased by the accused using the seized money to be forfeited to the government, including nearly RM20 million in cash, a house in Kota Warisan Sepang, two plots of land in Pahang, a Ford Raptor, a Honda Civic, a Mercedes-Benz, two motorcycles and a luxury watch.

The alternative charge made against Shahrum was for dishonest misappropriation of property by converting the money, amounting US$6.94 million, for his own use.

The charge, framed under section 403 of the Penal Code, provides an imprisonment for up to five years and with whipping and shall also be liable to fine, if found guilty.

He was charged with committing the offence at the Office of the Head of the Special Action Branch, Investigation Division, Level 14, Block C, MACC Headquarters, Putrajaya, between December 17, 2018 and April 9, 2019.

Meanwhile, during mitigation, Shahrum’s lawyer Ahmad Hafiz A. Bakar said his client, who has two children, aged 10 and 12, and a family to support, had never been convicted of any criminal offence before and this case was his first.

He said Shahrum had served with the MACC since November 14, 2005, and was the recipient of the excellent service award four times.

He is suffering from nasal cancer and a medical report from a private hospital had been submitted to the court, added the lawyer. – Bernama, February 18, 2022.