Senior federal counsel charged over RM500,000 bribe to fix court case
Lim Cheah Yit will be charged again at the Sessions Court in Alor Setar.
BUTTERWORTH: A senior federal counsel was slapped with two counts of bribery at the Sessions Court here today over a total amount of RM500,000 to ensure that a person was charged in court for cheating.
In the first charge, Lim Cheah Yit, 42, was accused of soliciting RM500,000 from Goh Kim Heong on March 8.
The bribe was said to be an inducement to influence the Penang prosecution director to charge one Chan Eng Leong under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating as per investigation paper No. TL/JSJK/KS/541/19 submitted by the northeast district police headquarters.
He allegedly solicited the bribe at Room 801, I am Singer Family Karaoke at the Gurney Paragon Mall in George Town.
In the second charge, Lim was accused of receiving RM100,000 for the same reason, also from Goh, at AC Hotel at Jalan Bukit Gambir, Bayan Lepas at 12.19pm on June 1.
Lim pleaded not guilty to the charges under Section 16 (a)(B) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Commission (MACC) Act 2009, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years’ jail and a fine of not less than five times the value of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher.
Judge Noor Aini Yusof set bail at RM20,000 with one surety and ordered him to surrender his passport. Lim was also told to report to the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya on a monthly basis.
Deputy public prosecutors Mohd Mukhzany Fariz Mohd Mokhtar and Fairus Danial Mazlan prosecuted.
Mukhzany told reporters outside the courtroom that Lim would be charged again at the Sessions Court in Alor Setar.
Lim’s lawyer Ang Chun Pin meanwhile said the court had set a reasonable amount for bail and given his client a fair hearing.
It was earlier reported that Kedah MACC had arrested three prosecutors in Penang by pretending to offer one of them RM100,000 for his services.
The prosecutor, who is believed to hold the rank of senior federal counsel, was reportedly arrested after accepting the money which was in marked notes.
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