The High Court yesterday sentenced a 55-year-old permanent resident to 24 months in prison, following the reversal of his acquittal on corruption charges. The decision came after an appeal by the Public Prosecutor against the initial ruling of the Senior Magistrate’s Court on September 11.
Chin Chee Vun, who was the General Manager of Sivli Logistics Sdn Bhd at the time, is convicted of instigating his subordinate to bribe a Customs inspection officer in the Royal Customs and Excise Department, Ministry of Finance and Economy, in October 2021.
The bribe was intended to induce the officer to overlook violations concerning Customs declarations. Judicial Commissioner Haji Abdullah Soefri bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin, who handed the sentence yesterday and presided over the appeal earlier, ruled that the Senior Magistrate’s findings in the original trial were against the weight of the evidence presented. Deputy Public Prosecutor Hajah Rozaimah binti Haji Abdul Rahman successfully argued that the Senior Magistrate had erred in both law and fact by misinterpreting the charge and failing to adequately consider the prosecution’s evidence. The court was reminded that Chin’s subordinate had already pleaded guilty in July 2022 to offering a BND20 bribe to the Customs officer at the Muara Port Customs Guardhouse. The subordinate was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment, reduced from 12 months due to mitigating factors.
The High Court found that Chin’s defence of a “bare denial” lacked credibility in light of the evidence against him.
The prosecution emphasised that corruption erodes trust in public institutions, damages the economy and harms society at large. Severe penalties serve not only as a deterrent but also send a clear message that corruption will not be tolerated and those involved will face significant consequences. This was reflected in the court’s sentence. – Fadley Faisal
