PETALING JAYA: The Melaka High Court dismissed an appeal by a road transport department (JPJ) officer for his conviction on eight corruption charges.
Justice Suria Kumar Durairaj Johnson Paul noted that overall documentary evidence, such as a book that kept records of money paid to Che Fadzlie Izwan Che Johari, as well as witnesses' testimonies showed the existence of a syndicate which protected overloaded lorries.
According to the facts of the case, Fadzlie was involved with a ‘tonto’ syndicate – a network of paid informants and middlemen who trail, monitor, and harass road transport law enforcement officers.
Fadzlie was tasked with ensuring no action would be taken against lorries for overloading. A middleman collected money from lorry companies and subsequently passed the money to Fadzlie for him to distribute to his officers.
The sessions court had on March 18, 2025, sentenced Fadzlie to a concurrent one-year jail sentence for all eight charges and an RM80,000 fine.
Suria held that Fadzlie’s conviction under Section 16(b)(B) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, which criminalises the giving of gratification, was safe.
“The appeal has no merit,” said Suria.
The section is punishable by imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the value of the gratification, or RM10,000, whichever is higher.
Fadzlie and several officers were arrested in an operation on overloaded lorries in March 2021.
In his defence, Fadzlie denied his involvement in releasing overloaded lorries, citing that some money given to his officers were meant for “road tax renewals”.
Lawyer Sheikh Ikhzan Sheikh Salleh represented Fadzlie while deputy public prosecutor Sharina Farhana Norsaari appeared for the prosecution.