FORMER Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) senior deputy director Sabudin Mohd Salleh was overwhelmed with emotions and broke down in tears after being freed for the second time of two charges of obtaining a bribe amounting to RM200,000 for the issuance of work permits.

The first time was on December 18, 2020, when the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court ordered his release after finding the prosecution had failed to raise a prima facie case against him.

The prosecution then appealed to the High Court and last March 24, it ordered the case to be reverted back to the Sessions Court for Sabudin to enter his defence.

At today’s proceedings, judge Rozina Ayob acquitted and discharged Sabudin of the two charges after finding that the prosecution had failed to prove the case.

“The court also found that it was not safe to convict the accused (Sabudin) based on all the available evidence,” said Rozina.

“Therefore, the accused is acquitted and discharged of both charges under section 17(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009.

Sabudin, 60, clad in a blue suit was in court in a wheelchair due to a knee problem.

Deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin prosecuted while lawyer K. Theivaendran represented Sabudin.

Sabudin, who was then senior deputy director at the DBKL civil engineering and urban transport division, was charged with corruptly receiving a bribe of RM200,000 cash from Wong May Kuan, a subcontractor of Dusari Niaga tasked with grinding and resurfacing works for DBKL for the years 2018-2020, as an inducement for him to issue work permits to the company.

He was accused of committing the offences at a petrol station convenience store in Jalan Lingkaran Tengah 2, Bukit Antarabangsa, Kuala Lumpur, and in front of his residence in Ukay Perdana, Ampang, on June 9, 2018 and January 17, 2019 respectively.

Wan Shaharuddin, when met by reporters, said the prosecution is appealing against the decision.

Sabudin has another case pending involving six charges of corruption, which is still at the prosecution stage before Sessions Court judge Azura Alwi. – Bernama, September 15, 2022.