Four, including ex‑native affairs officer and civil servant, held in Keningau over RM900,000 land‑sale bribery case

KENINGAU, Aug 20 — Four individuals, comprising a former native affairs officer and a civil servant, have been granted seven days' detention to aid investigations into a land sale scheme involving nearly RM900,000 in bribes. The detention order, issued by Magistrate Flavian Edward Henry at the Magistrate’s Court in Keningau, will remain in place until August 27 following a request from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Sabah.

Sources indicate that the former native affairs officer and civil servant allegedly received bribes from two land brokers to expedite the sale process last year. However, initial investigations revealed that the land in question belonged to an unrelated party and had not been advertised for sale. All four male suspects, aged between their 30s and 60s, were apprehended between 4 pm and 8 pm yesterday (Aug 19) for the purpose of providing statements at the MACC Keningau office.

The MACC Sabah director, Datuk Mohd Fuad Bee Basrah, confirmed the arrests to further the investigation when contacted. The case is being probed under Sections 17 and 18 of the MACC Act 2009.