Mon Oct 07 08:50:00 UTC 2024: ## Policeman and Mechanic Sentenced to Prison for Accepting Bribe in “Khalwat” Case
**PUTRAJAYA** – A police corporal and a mechanic have been sentenced to prison after the Court of Appeal upheld their convictions for accepting a RM300 bribe from a Muslim couple found in close proximity inside a car.
The incident, which occurred in March 2014, involved Muhamad Faisal Ahmad Gapur, 39, a police lans koperal, and Muhammad Azizul Hakim Hasnan, 33, a mechanic. Faisal was sentenced to two years in prison, while Azizul received a one-year sentence.
The court also upheld the RM10,000 fine, with a default sentence of six months imprisonment, imposed on both men by the Sessions Court.
The Court of Appeal, led by Justice Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim, found overwhelming evidence to prove the charge under Section 16 (a) (B) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Act 2009. The court dismissed the appeals against their convictions and sentences, citing the lack of significant inconsistencies in witness testimonies and deeming the original sentences as not manifestly excessive.
The case stemmed from an incident in Bandar Seri Iskandar, Perak, where the couple was found in close proximity inside a car. The bribe was allegedly given to prevent action against them for “khalwat” (close proximity between unmarried individuals of the opposite sex).
The initial convictions by the Sessions Court in June 2022 were upheld by the High Court last September. The Court of Appeal’s decision now confirms the final sentence for both individuals, who will begin serving their prison sentences immediately.
First Piper 