KUANTAN: A former magistrate was found guilty of six counts of corruption at the Kuantan Sessions Court.

       Mohamad Amin Shahul Hamid, 41, was sentenced to a total of 58 years in jail and RM1.05mil in fines, in default of 72 months in prison, after Sessions Court Judge Datuk Ahmad Zamzani Mohd Zain, on Friday (March 18), ruled that the defence had failed to raise reasonable doubt in its case.

       In delivering the verdict, the judge said Mohamad Amin's defence was an afterthought and a bare denial.

       As Ahmad Zamzani ordered the jail sentences to run concurrently, Amin would only serve 12 years in jail.

       Amin, who used to serve in the Lipis and Raub Magistrate's Courts, was charged with soliciting bribes amounting to RM100,000 and receiving RM110,000 from one Hassan Basri Ahmad Sutan Modo between July 5 and Oct 22, 2019.

       The bribes were an inducement for Amin not to fine and jail Hassan Basri who was then facing a charge of possession of smuggled cigarettes.

       Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin asked for a heavy sentence, saying Amin had not showed any remorse for his actions.

       "This is akin to the proverb 'harapkan pagar, pagar makan padi'. His actions were an embarrassment to the judicial system and the civil service," Wan Shaharuddin said during court proceedings on Friday.

       Wan Shaharuddin said Amin also had no shame as he personally solicited and collected the bribe money himself.

       In mitigation, lawyer S. Meheraj asked for a lighter sentence, saying that Amin was a first-time offender and had previously served excellently as a magistrate.

       Ahmad Zamzani allowed a stay of execution on the sentence pending an appeal from the defence.

       The judge also set an additional bail of RM25,000 for Mohamad Amin with one surety bringing the total bail to RM50,000.