MELAKA: Malaysian National Cycling Federation (MNCF) president Datuk Abu Samah Abd Wahab has been given a discharge not amounting to acquittal by the Ayer Keroh Sessions Court on two counts of abusing his post to solicit bribes totalling RM48,811.85.
Judge Elesabet Paya Wan made the ruling on Tuesday (May 30) following the representation submitted by the accused which was accepted by the prosecution, led by Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) deputy public prosecutor Mahadi Abdul Jumaat.
The court allowed Abu Samah bail of RM10,000 and ordered that his passport be returned to him.
Abu Samah’s counsel Azrul Zulkifli Stork confirmed the matter when contacted.
Abu Samah appeared in court earlier accompanied by his son, MNCF vice president Norazman Abu Samah, who is also a member of the Asean Cycling Federation (ACF) management committee; as well as another MNCF vice president Datuk Amarjit Singh Gil, who is also ACF secretary-general.
On June 3, 2022, Abu Samah pleaded not guilty to the charge of using his position as MNCF president as an inducement to solicit bribes when selecting Syarikat Harapan Baiduri Sdn Bhd, owned by him and his children, to provide rented logistics vehicles at a rate of RM12,750 via 13 payment vouchers from 2013 to 2018.
For the second charge, he allegedly committed a similar offence involving a company belonging to him and his children, Syarikat Keluarga Haji Wahab Hassan Sdn Bhd, to provide accommodation for cycling athletes with a rental of RM36,061.85 through 32 payment vouchers from 2013 to 2019. – Bernama