MELAKA: A 42-year-old Economic Advisory Affairs officer of the Farmers’ Organisation Authority (LPP) claimed trial at the Sessions Court in Ayer Keroh here to allegedly submitting fake claims and accepting bribes.
Mohd Zairey Yahya was charged with using a document containing false information, among others, the certificate of completion for a project related to the supply of agricultural tools and nine metric tons of galangal seedlings worth RM44,550.
However, the project was not completed and the accused was then the general manager of the Area Farmers’ Organisation (PPK) in Ledang, Tangkak in Johor.
He allegedly committed the offence between January and March 2020.
The charge was framed under Section 18 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act and can be punished under Section 24 (2) of the same law.
He faces imprisonment of not more than 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount or value of the bribe that is the subject of the offence, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
Mohd Zairey, who is currently working at the LPP headquarters, was also charged with accepting RM20,000 from Ismail Yaacub, 42, a person concerned with his official duties, over the same project.
The offence was allegedly committed at the Medan Selera Pekan Selandar car park in Jasin district on March 5, 2021.
For the second offence, he was charged under Section 165 of the Penal Code, which carries a jail term of up to two years or a fine or both, upon conviction.
He was represented by lawyer Datuk Haniff Hassan while Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohammad Azriff Firdaus Mohamad Ali, from the MACC, prosecuted.
Judge Elesabet Paya Wan allowed the accused bail of RM20,000 for both charges with one surety.
She also ordered the accused to report himself at the Seremban MACC office once a month and to surrender his passport to the court.
The court fixed June 19 for mention for the submission of documents.
