Court acquits policeman over alleged bribe from suspected thief

In a recent court ruling, a police officer named Nazuli Nazari has been acquitted of accepting a RM2,500 bribe from a suspected thief who stole his phone seven years ago. The Alor Setar High Court dismissed the conviction, which was originally handed down by the sessions court and resulted in two years of imprisonment and a RM20,000 fine.

Judicial Commissioner Aimi Zaini Azhar ruled that there was insufficient evidence to support the prosecution's case. Specifically, she noted a material contradiction in the alleged location and method of the money handover, which the lower court had not examined. The judge determined that there was no corroborating evidence to back up Nazuli's testimony that he received the bribe to prevent further prosecution against the suspected thief.

Furthermore, the sessions court had erroneously accepted Nazuli's account without sufficient supporting evidence, according to Aimi. The court found no indication that Nazuli solicited or agreed to receive the bribe as an inducement to close the case against the alleged thief. As a result, the high court quashed the conviction and declared the original sentencing to be unsafe.