JOHOR BARU, Aug 22 — Two policemen and a shop assistant were charged in the Sessions Court here today with four counts of corruption.

Corporal Kamaruzaman Khamis, 45, Constable Zamzuri Idha Ismawi, 27, and Cheah Chee Seng, 27, an assistant at a car accessory shop, pleaded not guilty and claimed trial to all the charges before judge Mohamad Haldar Abdul Aziz.

On the first count, they are jointly charged with soliciting RM15,000 from one Lee Tau Hoo, 37, as an inducement that action would not be taken against him for an alleged drug offence.

The offence was allegedly committed at Plaza DNP, Jalan Abdullah Tahir here at about 1am on October 18 last year.

The second charge was for allegedly receiving RM1,800 from Lee for the same purpose in front of Public Bank, Jalan Rosmerah 2/10, Taman Johor Jaya here at about 2.30am on the same day.

On the third count, they are charged with accepting RM500 from Lee for the same purpose in front of the same bank at about 2.50am on the same day.

They are also charged with accepting another RM5,000 from Lee, also for the same purpose, in front of TM Point, Jalan Rosmerah 2/10 Taman Johor Jaya at about 9.30pm the following day.

Prosecuting officer from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Corruption (MACC),

Ridzuan Abd Malik, offered bail at RM10,000 on each count for all the accused.

However, their lawyer, Noordin Hussin, asked for bail to be set at RM3,000 each on the two policemen as they had posted bail of RM10,000 each, while Cheah RM4,000, to the MACC and co-operated with the agency during investigation of the case.

Mohamad Haldar then set bail at RM20,000 for each of the accused and fixed September 7 for mention. — Bernama