KUALA LUMPUR: Former Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) senior deputy director Sabudin Mohd Salleh was overwhelmed by emotion after being freed for the second time on two charges of receiving a bribe amounting to RM200,000 for the issuance of work permits.
The first time was on Dec 18, 2020, when the Sessions Court ordered his release after finding the prosecution had failed to raise a prima facie case against him.
The prosecution then appealed to the High Court and on March 24, it ordered the case to be reverted to the Sessions Court for Sabudin to enter his defence.
At yesterday’s proceeding, judge Rozina Ayob acquitted and discharged Sabudin of the two charges after finding that the prosecution had failed to prove the case.
“The court also found that it was not safe to convict the accused (Sabudin) based on all the available evidence.
“Therefore, the accused is acquitted and discharged of both charges under Section 17(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009,” said Rozina.
Sabudin, 60, clad in a blue suit, was in court in a wheelchair due to a knee problem.
Deputy public prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin prosecuted, while lawyer K. Theivaendran represented Sabudin.
Sabudin, who was then senior deputy director at the DBKL civil engineering and urban transport division, was charged with corruptly receiving a bribe of RM200,000 in cash from Wong May Kuan, a subcontractor of Dusari Niaga.
He was charged with committing the offences at a petrol station convenience store at Jalan Lingkaran Tengah 2, Bukit Antarabangsa and in front of his residence in Ukay Perdana, Ampang, on June 9, 2018, and Jan 17, 2019, respectively.
Wan Shaharuddin told reporters that the prosecution would be appealing against the decision.
Sabudin has another case pending involving six charges of corruption which is still at the prosecution stage. — Bernama
