Five cops charged with extortion

BUKIT MERTAJAM: Five policemen have claimed trial to a charge of extorting money from a motorist during a traffic stop in Permatang Tinggi.

Sjn Rozaini Abu Hassan, 48, Kpl Mohd Nurizuan Ahmad Suhaimi, 38, Kpl Muhamad Mustaqim Ismail, 35, L/Kpl Muhamad Khusairi Ahamad, 30, and L/Kpl Muhamad Syakir Haikal Hasli, 24, were charged with extorting RM4,500 from Huah Wei Jian, 27, by instilling fear in him after alleging that drugs were found in his car during a traffic stop at Jalan Permatang Tinggi at 10.15pm on Feb 1.

The offence under Section 384 of the Penal Code carries a maximum jail term of 10 years or a fine or caning, or any two such punishments.

Deputy public prosecutor Mohd Nordin Ismail proposed bail of RM10,000 for each accused, which was posted.

Day in court: The five policemen accused of extorting a motorist, being led to the Magistrate’s Court in Bukit Mertajam. — ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star.

In mitigation, defence counsel VS Kumar, who represented all accused, requested the bail amount be reduced, saying Sjn Rozaini had served for 24 years and the rest for between four and 18 years.

He said the accused were still in the force and that there was no flight risk as such action would affect their pension and gratuity.

Magistrate Nurul Rasyidah Mohd Akit fixed mention for March 15 and ordered submission of documents on that date.

It was reported that on Feb 1, a factory worker claimed to have been stopped by two police mobile patrol vehicles on the roadside before three personnel checked him.

During the inspection, one of the policemen allegedly found a plastic bag containing powder suspected to be drugs in the car, and when the driver denied it was his, he was told that he could be severely punished for the crime under the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.

The motorist also claimed that another patrol vehicle with two policemen inside then arrived before he was directed to pay RM10,000 to avoid arrest.

After negotiations, he alleged that a sum of RM4,500 was agreed upon. He later lodged a police report.