Ex-Senate deputy president pleads not guilty to 20 counts of bribery

Ex-Senate deputy president pleads not guilty to 20 counts of bribery

SHAH ALAM – Former Senate deputy president Datuk Seri Mohamad Ali Mohamad pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court today to 20 bribery charges of accepting RM235,000 in cash and three luxury cars, related to a Melaka land reclamation project.

Mohamad Ali, 61, entered the plea after the charges were read separately before Judge Awang Kerisnada Awang Mahmud.

As the managing director of a property development company, Mohamad Ali was charged with 17 counts of accepting bribes in cash ranging from RM5,000 to RM20,000, totalling RM235,000, from another company director who holds the ‘Datuk’ title.

For the remaining three charges, he was accused of receiving three luxury vehicles – a BMW 730Li, a Range Rover, and a Bentley Flying Spur – from the same individual.

The bribes were allegedly inducements for appointing the specified company as the contractor responsible for the construction and completion of reclamation works and related works under a project to reclaim 100 acres of coastal waters in Kota Laksamana, Melaka Tengah, Melaka, valued at RM45.1 million for a mixed development.

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The alleged offences took place at two locations in Glenmarie and Sungai Buloh, Selangor, between January 2017 and Jan 20 of this year. These offences fall under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009. If convicted, they are punishable under Section 24(1) of the same Act, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine.

During today’s proceedings, MACC Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Ahmad Akram Gharib proposed bail of RM60,000 with one surety and requested the accused to surrender his passport to the court.

Lawyer Md Yunos Shariff, representing Mohamad Ali, agreed to the proposed bail amount for all 20 charges.

The court granted bail and also ordered the accused not to contact any prosecution witnesses.

The case is set for mention on July 24. – BERNAMA