KUALA LUMPUR: The Sessions Court here today ordered a Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) deputy director to enter his defence on three charges of bribery involving RM87,000 in connection with the approval of the Universal Service Provision (USP) project.

Judge Rozina Ayob made the decision after finding that the prosecution had proven a prima facie case against Mohd Iskandar King, 44, from the Postal Affairs and E-Commerce Division.

The court set July 27 to hear the defence case.

According to the alternative charge, Mohd Iskandar was accused of accepting a bribe of RM50,000 from Golden Sunrise Ventures Sdn Bhd director Mohd Azuzi Mohamed Kamil, who is also OCK Setia Engineering Sdn Bhd consultant in return for a favour in securing a USP Time 3 Extension Phase 1 contract from the agency.

He was alleged to have committed the offence at a restaurant at IOI City Mall, Putrajaya at 8 pm on Jan 9, 2019.

The charge, under Section 165 of the Penal Code, provides for a maximum jail term of two years or with a fine or both, if convicted.

For the two other charges, Mohd Iskandar allegedly received two cheques amounting to RM18,500 each, which were made payable to him and his wife Nur Ellina Abdul Sukor, from Mohd Azuzi whom he knew had a connection with his official work.

The offences, allegedly committed at Bukit Jalil Golf and Country Resort at 5 pm on June 23, 2015, are charged under Section 165 of the Penal Code.

A total of 31 prosecution witnesses were called to testify at the trial of the case which began in Dec 2020.

Deputy Public Prosecutors Siti Noor Hafizan Zakaria, Francine Cheryl Rajendram and Abdul Muntaqim Abdul Aziz prosecuted while Mohd Iskandar was represented by counsel Sivahnanthan Ragava.

-- BERNAMA