SHAH ALAM, Dec 16 — A Selangor State Department of Statistics officer was today charged at the Sessions Court here with 43 counts of bribery amounting to RM32,751.20.
Noor Azlin Jaafar, 37, however, pleaded not guilty after all the charges were read out to her before Judge Rozilah Salleh.
On the first to fifth count, the single mother was charged with accepting bribes totalling RM18,731.20 after instructing a department staff to prepare quotations for supply contracts to three companies, one of which belonged to her male relative.
The supply contracts were for the printing of questionnaire documents, design services and printing of trade forms.
On the remaining 38 counts Noor Azlin was charged with receiving bribes totalling RM14,020 for approving false domestic travel claims involving five staff of the department.
All the offences were allegedly committed at the accused’s office at the Selangor State Statistics Department, Shah Alam between March 21 and December 9, last year.
The charges framed under Section 23 (1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, punishable under Section 24(1) of the same Act provide for a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the value of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher.
Judge Rozilah allowed Noor Azlin bail of RM20,000 with one surety for charges related to the supply contract and another RM30,000 bail with one surety in relation to the false claim approvals.
She was also ordered to surrender her passport to the court and to report to the nearest Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office in the first week of each month until the case is over.
Deputy public prosecutor from MACC, Fadhli Ab Wahab prosecuted while lawyer P G Cyril represented the accused.
The court set January 19 for re-mention.
— Bernama
