KUALA LUMPUR: Big Blue Taxi Services founder Datuk Shamsubahrin Ismail has claimed trial at the Sessions Court here to a charge of bribery involving RM10,000.

       Shamsubahrin, 55, pleaded not guilty after the charge was read out to him before Sessions Court judge Rozina Ayub here yesterday.

       According to the charge sheet Shamsubahrin allegedly accepted for himself a RM10,000 bribe through a bank account belonging to one Yusfazila Md Yusoff, 38, as an inducement for him to help resolve a case involving Azizan Mohamed Yasin at the Court of Appeal.

       The businessman was accused of committing the offence at Ambank, Jalan Yap Kwan Seng at about 1.45pm on March 4.

       The charge under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 provides for imprisonment up to 20 years and a fine of up to five times the amount of gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher, if convicted.

       Prosecuting officer Abd Muntaqim Abdul Aziz from the MACC offered bail at RM5,000 bail in one surety.

       Lawyer Muhammad Noor Azfar Muhammad Noor Azmi, who represented the accused, asked for a lower bail amount.

       He said his client had fully cooperated during the investigation.

       “My client is the sole breadwinner of his family. He has five children. His business is greatly affected due to the Movement Control Order,” he said.

       The judge then fixed bail at RM2,000 in one surety and ordered for the accused to surrender his passport to the court pending disposal of the case.

       The case is set for mention on Oct 1.