GEORGE TOWN: An Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), who was detained in February last year for allegedly releasing Macau Scam suspects, was charged at the Magistrate's Court here today.
Mohamad Azrim Abu Bakar, 41, claimed trial to the charge read to him before Magistrate Nur Melati Diana Abd Wahab.
Azrim, who was then attached to the northeast district police headquarters' Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) as a senior investigating officer, was charged with disobeying directions of the law by failing to hand over 11 foreign nationals to the Immigration Department, an action which saved the foreigners from having to be deported.
The offence was allegedly committed at the northeast CCID between 2pm and 3pm on Feb 9, last year.
The charge was framed under Section 217 of the Penal Code which carries a maximum two years' jail or fine or both upon conviction.
He has since been suspended from the force.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Nazri Abdul Rahim urged the court to set bail at RM10,000 pending the submission of documents.
Azrim, represented by counsels M.M. Athimulan, M. Mahendran and T. Tamil Selvam, told the court that he had been in the police force for the past 15 years.
"I leave it to the court to decide on his bail," Athimulan said.
Nur Melati Diana then set bail at RM5,000 with one surety and fixed May 18 for mention pending submission of documents.
At the same court, part-time driver S. Muniandy, 62, was also charged for abetting with Azrim to commit an offence under Section 217 of the Penal Code by disobeying directions of the law by failing to hand over 11 foreign nationals to the Immigration Department, at the same place, time and date.
The charge was framed under Section 109 of the Penal Code.
Nazri also urged the court to set bail at RM10,000.
Muniandy, who was represented by counsel Hari Prassaad Rao, pleaded to the court for a lower bail.
Hari said his client had his wife and five children, to care for.
"My client has not been able to secure a fixed job after he was declared a bankrupt by the High Court here back in 2007.
"He is also not a flight risk due to his bankruptcy status," he said.
Hari Prassaad said his client was remanded in February last year to assist investigations and had rendered his fullest cooperation to the police since.
"When he was told that he was supposed to be charged yesterday, he came to wait outside the court but that did not happen.
"He again came to court today to face his charge. This shows my client is innocent," he said, in urging for lower bail.
Nur Melati Diana then set bail at RM5,000 and fixed May 18 for mention.
On March 15, last year, the New Straits Times reported that police had detained three civilians and an Immigration Department personnel to assist investigations into four police officers from the northeast district police headquarters' CCID, who were nabbed in February, last year, on suspicion of releasing suspects involved in a Macau Scam.
Police had said then that the civilians and Immigration Department personnel were believed to be linked to the four police officers, who were said to be involved in the case. The police officers, two Inspectors and two ASPs, were nabbed on Feb 12, 2021 and Feb 15, 2021 respectively.
All the eight, aged between 20 and 60, were subsequently released on police bail.
This followed the revelation by then Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador that several officers were found to have released Macau Scam suspects in Penang.
He had said that the matter was revealed following an investigation by Bukit Aman's Department of Integrity and Standard Compliance (JIPS).
