JOHOR BARU: The Sessions Court here has ordered a former Malaysia Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Tanjung Sedili maritime zone director to enter his defence for accepting RM10,000 in bribes back in 2020.
Sessions Court Judge Ahmad Kamal Arifin Ismail made the decision after finnding the prosecution had successfully proven a prima facie against Mohd Zulfadli Nayan, 43, on The Wednesday (Dec 18).
“After hearing and weighing all the evidence, the court decided that the prosecution had succeeded in proving a prima facie case against the accused. Accordingly, the court orders the accused to defend himself,” he said.
The accused's lawyer, Mohd Fazaly Ali Mohd Ghazali, then said that they would be calling seven to eight witnesses for their defence in the case.
The court then set the date of the defense proceedings for seven days, which are Jan 8, 13 and 14, Feb 17 and 20 and March 3 and 4 next year.
Judge Ahmad Kamal Arifin also ordered that the accused's bail be extended until the date of the defence proceedings.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Deputy Public Prosecutor Zander Lim Wai Keong prosecuted the case.
On May 23, 2021, the accused, who was suspended from his duties as assistant MMEA international relations and coordination director, pleaded not guilty to the corruption charge against him.
Based on the charge sheet, Mohd Zulfadli allegedly received a cash bribe amounting to RM10,000 from Wan Mohd Fauzi Wan Kamaruddin, the owner of a shipping company, at a restaurant in Jalan Yahya Awal, here at 10pm, on Oct 2, 2020.
Mohd Zulfadli was accused of using his position at that time to not take action in the investigation of a vessel owned by the company that was detained by Tanjung Sedili MMEA on Sept 17, 2020.
For the act, the accused is charged under Section 165 of the Penal Code which carries a prison sentence of up to two years or a fine or both, if convicted.
