KUALA LUMPUR: A Civil Defence Forces (APM) personnel was fined RM28,000 or nine months jail in default by the Sessions Court, here today for accepting bribes from an office equipment supplier last year.

Magistrate Suzana Hussin meted out the punishment to Mohd Nazrin Mohd Nasir, 38, after the accused pleaded guilty to three charges.

Mohd Nazrin, an APM assistant was charged with accepting RM20,500 and for attempting to secure another RM18,000 from the owner of Syarikat Pendang Jaya Sdn Bhd despite knowing that his duties were not related to the company.

The offences had allegedly taken place at three different restaurants in Putrajaya and Pahang between Oct 7 to 11, last year.

The accused was charged under Section 165 of the Penal Code which provides for a maximum two years jail or fine or both, if convicted.

Mohd Nazrin's counsel Khairul Naim Rafidi pleaded for a fine as the accused who is a diabetic on insulin, is the sole bread winner in the family - he has a wife and 13-year-old child.

However, deputy public prosecutor Irna Julieza Maaras urged the court to hand out a severe punishment to serve as a deterrent because the accused is a civil servant who had ignored his integrity and duties to the community.

-- BERNAMA