ALOR SETAR: A former police inspector pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here today to a charge of accepting  a bribe of RM500.

Mohamad Hilmi Abd Hamid, 38, made the plea Judge Harmi Thamri Mohamad.

According to the charge, Mohamad Hilmi, who was then working as a Narcotics Crime Investigating Officer at the Baling District Police Headquarters (IPD), was alleged to have accepted RM500 bribe for himself from a man as an inducement to help another man, who tested positive for the drug 'morphine', from being sent to a rehabilitation centre.

Mohamad Hilmi, who now works as a security guard in Penang, was alleged to have committed the offence in a Honda Civic car in front of Cili Merah restaurant, Kampung Ceruk Bemban, Kupang in Baling at about 3.45 pm on April 17, 2015.

The charge was framed under Section 17(a) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission 2009, which provides an imprisonment for up to 20 years and fine of not less than five times the amount of the bribe, or RM10,000, whichever is higher, if found guilty.

Mohamad Hilmi, was allowed bail of RM12,000 with one surety and ordered to surrender his passport to the court as well as report himself to the Sungai Petani MACC office every two months.

The court set May 22 for mention.

The prosecution was conducted by MACC prosecuting officer Mohd Zulfadli Azharudin, while lawyer S.Parameswaran represented the accused.

-- BERNAMA