AYER KEROH: Former Melaka River and Beach Development Corporation (PPSPM) chief executive officer Mohd Fariz Mohd Ali has been sentenced to two years in prison and fined RM1.3 million by the Sessions Court here today for accepting bribes related to a contract for supplying boats to the Melaka River Cruise (MRC) seven years ago.
Judge Elesabet Paya Wan delivered the sentence after determining that the defence had failed to raise reasonable doubt against the prosecution's case.
Mohd Fariz, 42, was found guilty and convicted on four amended charges.
The defendant denied receiving bribes and claimed not to have been present at the location where the bribe was allegedly handed over. He also disputed the existence of the car wash site mentioned in the charges.
However, the court found that the defence's arguments did not raise reasonable doubt, and Mohd Fariz was found guilty under Section 17(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009.
He was charged with receiving bribes totalling RM260,000 from LEC Impressions Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Lim Boon Peng, through a third party, by the name of Osman Abdul Rahman in four transactions.
The money was allegedly an inducement for the accused to help the company secure a project to supply 10 Melaka River Cruise boats to PPSPM.
The charges were framed under Section 17(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 and punishable under Section 24(1) of the same act which carries a maximum jail term of 20 years and fine not less than five times the amount of gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
The offences took place across four separate meetings with the company's representative Osman Abdul Rahman between Jan 4 and Nov 15, 2017.
The prosecution, led by deputy public prosecutor Muhammad Asraf Mohamed Tahir, asked the court to impose a severe sentence, emphasising the public interest and the defendant's position as a public servant.
The defence, however, requested a lighter sentence as it was the defendant's first offence and his circumstances, including the care of his elderly parents.
The court allowed a delay in the execution of the sentence, with the bail increased to RM60,000 as the defence intends to appeal.