A FORMER Temerloh district police chief pleaded not guilty in the Kuantan Sessions Court today to 46 counts of accepting bribes amounting to RM70,600 between 2019 and early this year.

Mohd Azhar Mohd Yusoff, 53, made the plea before judge Ahmad Zamzani Mohd Zain.

It took about an hour for two interpreters to read out the 46 charges.

Azhar is accused of receiving bribes ranging from RM100 to RM5,600, which were transferred online to his account from several individuals and companies that were related to his official duties, including not taking action on foreign workers and business premises operating beyond stipulated hours.

He is alleged to have committed the offences in the Temerloh district while on duty at the Temerloh district police headquarters between March 2019 and January 2023.

Azhar, who had been in service for 30 years, was charged under section 165 of the penal code, which provide for imprisonment of up to two years or a fine or both, if convicted.

Azhar also pleaded not guilty to 46 alternative charges made under section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, which provides for imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the value of the bribe or RM10,000 or whichever is higher, if convicted.

He was allowed bail of RM25,000 in one surety and ordered to surrender his passport to the court and report himself at an MACC office once a month. He was also ordered not intimidate witnesses in the case.

The court set November 15 for submission of documents and case management.

The prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutors Ahmad Feisal Mohd Azmi, Rasyidah Murni Azmi and Rifah Izzati Abdul Mutalif, while the accused was represented by lawyers Bob S. Arumugam and Najib Zakaria. – Bernama, September 7, 2023.