KOTA KINABALU: A 66-year-old "Datuk" who was arrested on Friday evening, was remanded for six days to facilitate an investigation into a case involving bribes to cover up the forgery of palm oil sales tax declarations.
Magistrate Jessica Ombou Kakayun granted the remand application for the former civil Servant and the remand started from Saturday until May 26 this year.
Remand Officer Johari Lahat from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) earlier applied for seven days of remand but the court granted six days.
Johari said the case is being investigated under Section 17(a) of the MACC for bribery and under the Section, which provides for imprisonment for up to 20 years and a fine of RM10,000 or not less than five times the amount of the bribe, whichever is higher if found guilty.
The "Datuk" who was defended by counsel Azhier Farhan, was arrested at about 4pm on Friday after giving his statement at MACC’s office in Sabah.
On May 18 this year, a senior department official and a former civil servant had been arrested in connection with the same case.
The two suspects were believed to have received a bribe of about RM700,000 from a palm oil factory to cover up the forgery of sales tax declarations submitted monthly to Sabah’s finance ministry.
The duo had been remanded from May 19 this year until May 25 this year.
