A CIVIL servant pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court in Kota Kinabalu today to two counts of soliciting and accepting bribes totalling RM15,000 in September 2020.

Ali Hashin Nasip, 54, who works as a driver at a state government agency, made the plea after all the charges were read out before Judge Abu Bakar Manat.

He was accused of soliciting a bribe of RM10,000 on September 5, 2020, at the Kudat Land Office as an inducement to speed up the application to extend a lease on land.

Ali Hashin was also charged with accepting cash of RM5,000 for the same purpose at a restaurant in the Kota Kinabalu on September 19 of the same year.

The charges were framed under section 16(a)(B) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, which carries a maximum prison term of 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the value of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

Judge Abu Bakar allowed bail at RM7,000 with one surety and fixed November 28 for mention. – Bernama, October 18, 2022.