Former Dewan Negara deputy president Ali Mohamad pleaded not guilty in the Ayer Keroh sessions court in Melaka today to a charge of accepting a luxury car as a bribe in 2015.
Bernama reported that he entered the plea after the charge was read to him before judge Elesabet Paya Wan.
Ali was accused of corruptly accepting a Range Rover Sport from a company director as an inducement to award subcontract work for a land reclamation project in Kota Laksamana.
The offence allegedly took place at the company’s office in Taman Kota Syahbandar, Melaka Tengah, in June 2015.
The charge, under Section 16(a)(A) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, is punishable under Section 24(1) of the same Act by up to 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of not less than five times the value of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher.
Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib urged the court to maintain the same bail conditions set by the Shah Alam sessions court on June 18: RM60,000 bail with one surety, surrender of the accused’s passport, and a prohibition on contacting prosecution witnesses.
He also applied for the case previously filed in Shah Alam to be transferred to Ayer Keroh so that both matters can be heard together.
Defence counsel Yunos Shariff raised no objection, and the court fixed Aug 14 for mention.
Ali claimed trial in the Shah Alam sessions court last Wednesday to 20 charges of accepting RM235,000 in cash and three luxury cars in relation to the reclamation project.
