MELAKA: An officer-in-charge of Tengkera police station (OCS) claimed trial at the Session Court here to five charges of accepting bribes totalling RM21,800 from a restaurant owner two years ago.

       The plea of Sub-Inspector Abdul Halim Alias, 59, was recorded before judge Elesabet Paya Wan on Thursday (March 17).

       The accused faced the first charge of allegedly receiving a bribe totalling RM6,000 as an inducement for not taking action against the owner during the then movement control order period.

       The offence was allegedly committed at The Stage Music Lounge Pit, Kota Shahbandar here, at 10pm on Aug 4, 2020.

       For the second and third charges, Sub-Insp Abdul Halim is accused of receiving a monthly payment of RM800 and another amount totalling RM6,000 from the same owner at Tengkera police station here between 5pm and 5.15pm on Aug 11, 2020.

       The first three charges were framed under Section 17(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009.

       The accused also faced two other charges under Section 16(a) of the MACC Act 2019 of allegedly accepting the bribe totalling RM8,000 and another RM1,000 as monthly payments from the same owner at The Stage Music Lounge Pit on Aug 4, 2020.

       Sub-Insp Abdul Halim is accused of receiving a total of RM21,800 as graft in all the five charges and faces a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine of five times the value of the gratification, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, if convicted under both laws.

       The accused, who was represented by counsel Azrul Zulkifli Stork, was granted a bail of RM5,000 for each of the offences and ordered to report to the Melaka MACC office on a monthly basis until the end of the proceedings involving him.

       The court also fixed April 20 for next mention.