ALOR SETAR: A former assistant at Kuala Muda National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK) was fined RM10,000 on Monday (Feb 14) by the Sessions Court here, after pleading guilty to an alternative charge of receiving a bribe of RM3,000 in 2016.

       Judge Harmi Thamri Mohamad meted out the punishment to Erwan Yahya, 46, and ordered the accused to serve six months in jail if he failed to pay the fine.

       According to the charge sheet, Erwan, who was then working as an assistant at Kuala Muda AADK, was accused of receiving RM3,000 in cash from Muhammad Russul Muhammad Radzi, which he knew had to do with his official work.

       Erwan was accused of having committed the offence in a car in Bandar Puteri Jaya in Sungai Petani at 5.30pm on Dec 7, 2016, and was charged under Section 165 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum jail term of two years or a fine or both, if convicted.

       The accused also faced a second charge, that he, together with Norzarenawati Osman, 39, with the common intention of agreeing to accept a bribe of RM3,000 in cash from Muhammad Russul, as an inducement to release another man for testing positive for syabu in his initial urine test, which was an offence under the Drug Dependants (Treatment & Rehabilitation) Act 1983 (Act 283).

       He was accused of committing the offence at a vacant house at No 1978, Lorong 1/17, Bandar Puteri Jaya, Sungai Petani at 3pm on the same date, and charged under Section 17 (a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, punishable under Section 24 (1) of the same law.

       However, the court took into consideration the second charge, under Section 171A of the Criminal Procedure Code, after the accused pleaded guilty to the first alternative charge. - Bernama