Immigration officer gets 10-day jail, RM10,000 fine for RM2,600 bribe

SHAH ALAM, March 17 -- An Immigration officer was sentenced to 10 days jail and fined RM10,000, in default six months’ jail, by the Sessions Court here today for corruption amounting to RM2,600.

Judge  Rozilah Salleh handed down the sentence on Mohd Azam Azhari Juhari, 39, who pleaded guilty to the charge which was read out to him today.

He was ordered to serve the jail sentence from today.

Mohd Azam Azhari, who was Grade KP19 Immigration Officer, was charged under Section 165 of the Penal Code with obtaining the money without consideration from a person whom he knew had connection with his official function.

The offence was committed at the Immigration Counter of klia2 between November 2019 to March last year.

Earlier,  Mohd Azam Azhari, had pleaded not guilty to an amended charge with accepting bribes, amounting to RM2,600, made under under Section  25 (1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC)  Act.

He was charged with committing the offence at the same place and date by becoming a middleman to release foreign nationals facing Immigration action.

However, the court today, discharged and acquitted him of the offence and allowed an application by the MACC to forfeit a four-wheel drive Ford Ranger, a high-powered Ducati motorcycle  and a Sworks roadbike belonging to him.

Deputy public prosecutors from MACC,  Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin and Fadhli Ab. Wahab, prosecuted, while Mohd Azam Azhari was represented by lawyer Naim Kamaruddin.

-- BERNAMA