IPOH, May 3 — A policeman was charged in the Sessions Court here today on three charges of soliciting and accepting bribes amounting to RM700 six years ago.

Lance Corporal Mohd Elfie Faizal Che Min, 35, who is with the Pokok Assam police station, in Taiping, pleaded not guilty and claimed trial to all the charges which were read out before Judge Ahmad Kamar Jamaludin.

On the first charge, he is alleged to have solicited RM300 from one Khor Jin Siang for running a scrap metal business using an expired license at the office of Siyian Trading, Taman Perindustrian Pengkalan, Taiping, at about 3.40pm, on May 17, 2017.

For the second charge, Mohd Elfie Faizal was alleged to have received RM300 from Khor at the same place and time.

He was also charged with receiving RM400 from Khor, through one Thang Kim Hoon, to not take action against Siang Trading (rpt: Siang Trading) for failing to submit a valid licence for operating a scrap metal business.

The offence was allegedly committed at the Siyian Trading office at about 5.30pm on April 4, 2017.

The first and third charges were framed under Section 16 (a)(B) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, while the second charge was framed under Section 17(a) of the same act.

He faced imprisonment for up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount or value of the bribe or RM10,000 whichever is higher, if found guilty.

Meanwhile, Mohd Elfie Faizal also pleaded not guilty to two alternative charges of receiving RM300 and RM400, respectively, from Khor as an inducement to not take action against him for failing to submit a valid licence for operating a scrap metal business on May 17 and April 4, 2017, at the Siyian Trading Office in Taiping.

The two alternative charges were framed under Section 165 of the Penal Code which provides imprisonment for up to two years or a fine, or both, if found guilty.

The court allowed the accused bail of RM15,000 with one surety for all three charges and set June 9 for mention.

Deputy public prosecutor Maziyah Mansor prosecuted, while lawyer Shahidah Muslimah Roslan represented the accused, who has been with the police force for almost 15 years. — Bernama