Sessions Court judge nabbed over bribery probe

The MACC arrested a Sessions Court judge based in Kuala Kubu Baru, Selangor, this afternoon.

MACC chief Latheefa Koya (above) confirmed the arrest in a statement today and said it is in relation to investigations of bribery to secure the release of undocumented migrants.

“The arrest is connected with the recent arrests involving a lawyer, a deputy public prosecutor and several police officers.

“The investigation is in relation to the detention of undocumented migrants who were arrested for the purpose of being released upon being paid.

“A sum of money was also seized during the arrest,” Latheefa said. 

On Friday last week, theSun reported that the MACC had on Wednesday arrested a deputy public prosecutor, a lawyer and six police officers.

The report said MACC had laid an ambush at 6.30pm that day after receiving a tip-off that the suspects had colluded to facilitate the release of nine undocumented migrants who were held in custody.

The MACC raiding party supposedly found RM17,500 in the lawyer’s possession that was believed to pay off the police personnel and the prosecutor, and RM82,000 was also recovered from the public prosecutor’s office at the Sessions Court there.

Earlier this morning, MACC deputy commissioner Azam Baki confirmed the earlier arrests and told reporters when met in Kuala Lumpur that the suspects had been remanded for five days up to today.

At the time, he said, that the police officers had been released, while proceedings to extend the remand of the lawyer and deputy public prosecutor were ongoing.

Additional reporting by ANNABELLE LEE.