Immigration Officer Guilty Of RM12K Bribes Gets 5-Year Jail Sentence And RM63K Fine
The man committed the offence back in 2012.
By Nandini Balakrishnan — 15 Dec 2016, 12:36 PM
A Malaysian immigration officer has been sentenced to a five-year jail sentence and fined RM63,000 for receiving and soliciting bribe.
R Vikneswaran had received bribes to release three foreign nationals who were allegedly travelling with fake documents.
According to a report by Bernama today, 15 December, the 35-year-old man pleaded guilty to receiving bribes up to RM12,600 on a few accounts.
What were his offences?
It was reported that Vikneswaran had solicited RM4,000 from one Lakshumana R Rao through a phone call on 18 July 2012 at 4pm. The accused apparently received the bribe to release two Indian nationals, known as "Sudhakar" and Sreekanth Bongoni" who were travelling using fake documents.
Judge Asmadi Hussin sentenced Vikneswaran to five years in prison and a fine of RM20,000 for the first charge.
Vikneswaran's second offence was soliciting another RM2,500 from the same person on 10 September 2012 at 4.50pm to release another Indian national named as "Satinder Pal". This lead to Judge Asmadi serving the former immigration officer with another fine of RM12,500.
On the third count, Vikneswaran was sentenced to five years imprisonment and RM12,500 fine for agreeing to a RM3,600 bribe from Lakshumana Rao at a McDonald's restaurant in Nilai, Negeri Sembilan on 24 July 2012 at 12.37am for the release of "Sudhakar" and "Sreekanth Bongoni".
On the fourth and final count, Judge Asmadi sentenced Vikneswaran to five years in prison and RM18,000 fine for accepting a RM2,500 bribe from Rao for releasing "Satinder Pal".
It was reported that Vikneswaran committed the offences at the ground level of the Block B car park, in KLIA at 3.45pm on 14 September 2012.
Vikneswaran has been charged under Section 16(a)(B) and Section 17(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 which serves a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine not less than five times the value of the bribe of RM10,000, depending on whichever is higher upon conviction
Bernama also reported that Judge Asmadi had ordered the jail sentences to start yesterday, 14 December and if Vikneswaran fails to pay the fines imposed, he will have to serve an additional four years in prison.
The judge had also increased the bail amount from RM20,000 to RM50,000. Vikneswaran has been ordered to pay the fines and bail amount by today, 15 December and report to the MACC office in Shah Alam on the first Monday of every month.