IPOH, Jan 6 — The Sessions Court fined two Myanmar refugees RM2,500 each for attempting to bribe a policeman here in 2018.
Abdul Manaf Abu Khalaf, 28, and Arif Dilda Amin, 24, was charged at the Session Court here with offering RM60 to Lance Corporal Mohd Fitri Lasim at Jalan Lau Tet Shin on December 25, 2018.
According to the charge sheet, the money so that Mohd Fitri, who is attached to the Pekan Baru police station, would turn a blind eye to them riding a motorcycle without a licence, which is an offence under Road Transport Act 1987.
The duo pled guilty before Judge S. Indra Nehru to the alternative charge under Section 214 of the Penal Code, which was read together with Section 31 of the Penal Code.
The charge under Section 214 of the Penal Code carries a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment, or fine, or both.
Nurul Wahida Jalaluddin who is attached to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission prosecuted while the accused were not represented.
Earlier, Nurul Wahida requested for a reasonable punishment so that the offence will not be repeated by the accused and will also be a lesson to the public.
However, the duo apologised to the court and promised they would not repeat the act.
Indra Nehru then meted out the punishment by fining RM2,500 each in default of two months’ jail.
Abdul Manaf, who works at a wholesale market, said that he only earns around RM1,000 a month and need to take care of his wife and a one-year-old child.
While, Arif, who works at the same wholesale market, said that he only earns around RM800 a month and has a wife and a seven-month old baby to take care.
Both men hold have documents verifying their refugee status from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
