Former Ministry Sec Gen And Son Get 15 Years Jail Rm12 6m Fine

---

The Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court today sentenced former rural and regional development ministry secretary-general Mohd Arif Ab Rahman and his son Ahmad Zukhairi to a combined jail term of 15 years
Justice Azura Alwi also fined the pair a total of RM12.6 million
Mohd Arif was convicted of abetting his son to accept a bribe of S$200,000 from a solar power company to secure a government project
This was for Eramaz (M) Sdn Bhd to obtain a direct tender to install solar electricity devices on four remote islands near Sandakan at a cost of RM57.5 million
Mohd Ariff was sentenced to three years jail and a fine of RM3 million, or three years jail in default
Meanwhile, Ahmad Zukhairi, 35, was convicted of accepting the bribe. He was also found guilty of soliciting to take two percent of the project value
He was sentenced to five years jail and an RM3 million fine or four years jail in default for the first offence, and three years jail and an RM6 million fine or 10 years jail in default for the second offence
Ahmad Zukhairi was also convicted of two counts of receiving RM70,000 and RM50,000 respectively from Syarikat HH Global Construction Sdn Bhd for the firm to obtain a project to construct and complete Dataran Rekreasi and other related works at Persisiran Tasik Pengkalan Gawi, Tasik Kenyir
For the RM70,000, he was sentenced to two years jail and an RM350,000 fine or 18 months jail in default
Whereas, for the RM50,000, he was sentenced to two years jail and RM250,000 fine or 18 months jail in default
He was accused of committing the offences in Subang Jaya and Shah Alam between March 17 and Aug 18 last year
In total, Ahmad Zukhairi was fined RM9.6 million and sentenced to 12 years jail. His jail sentences will run concurrently
Sentencing for the father and son has been stayed pending appeal. They have been ordered to pay an additional RM300,000 each on top of their respective RM200,000 bail
Their passports remain in the court's custody
In her ruling, Justice Azura said the defence failed to raise reasonable doubt against the prosecution's case
The duo's lawyer Afifuddin Hafifih asked for leniency, saying neither had the ability to pay the fines imposed on them
DPP Irwan Shah Abdul Samat appeared for the MACC.Mohd Arif and Ahmad Zukhairi were charged in February 2017, and their trial began in September that year. - Mkini

---