SEREMBAN: Two Immigration Department officers have claimed trial at the Sessions Court here to charges of receiving a total of RM15,500 in bribes from middlemen to release foreigners who violated immigration laws.

       Mohamad Izhmi Mohamad Noor, 35, and Muhammad Ali Mohammed Redzwa, 27, who worked at KL International Airport 2 in Sepang, pleaded not guilty to the charges before Sessions judge Datin Surita Budin on Friday (June 25).

       Mohamad Izhmi was charged with receiving a RM10,000 bribe from an individual known as Mohamad Jeffry Mohd Zain at a shop in Kg Jijan, Nilai, in October although he knew this was related to his work as a government servant.

       He was charged under Section 165 of the Penal Code which provides a jail term of up to two years and a fine or both upon conviction.

       Mohamad Izhmi also faces an alternative charge of accepting RM10,000 from the same individual to release an Indonesian for flouting provisions under the Immigration Act 1959/63.

       He was charged with failing to report the incident to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission or a police officer and was charged under Section 25(1) of the MACC Act 2009 punishable under Section 25(2) of the same Act.

       Offenders can be fined up to RM100,000 or jailed up to 10 years or both upon conviction.

       The second accused, Muhammad Ali, was slapped with four charges of accepting a total of RM5,500 from one Zul Anishaffizie Zakaria.

       He allegedly committed the offences at a bank in Nilai between Dec 30, 2017 and Dec 1, 2019.

       The cash was allegedly banked into his wife's account and one account belonging to another individual.

       He was also charged under Section 165 of the Penal Code.

       Muhammad Ali also faces four alternative charges of accepting the money from the middleman to release foreigners who had violated immigration laws without following the proper procedures.

       He was also charged under Section 25(1) of the MACC Act 2009 punishable under Section 25(2) of the same Act.

       The court fixed bail at RM10,000 for Mohamad Izhmi and ordered him to report to the nearest MACC every month.

       Muhammad Ali was released on RM20,000 bail and also told to report to the nearest MACC office once a month.

       Mohamad Izhmi was represented by Mohamad Zahid Ahmad while Hidayah Muslimah appeared for Muhammad Ali. Mohamad Azriff Firdaus Muhamad Ali prosecuted.

       Surita then fixed Aug 23 for next mention.