KUANTAN: The sessions court today sentenced former Temerloh police chief Azhar Yusoff to eight months' jail after finding him guilty on 46 corruption charges involving RM69,600 received between 2019 and 2023.
Judge Sazlina Safie found Azhar, 56, guilty after ruling that the prosecution had proved all the elements of the offences under Section 165 of the Penal Code.
The provision carries a maximum jail term of two years, a fine, or both, upon conviction.
Sazlina imposed an eight-month jail term on each charge, with all the sentences to run concurrently.
However, she granted Azhar a stay of execution pending further proceedings, and set bail at RM30,000 with one surety and ordered him to surrender his passport.
Earlier, Azhar’s lawyer, M Athimulan, sought a fine without imprisonment, arguing that a jail term could have serious consequences for his client, including possible dismissal from the police and the loss of his pension rights.
“He also stands to lose his career, reputation and social standing. That, in itself, is a severe form of punishment for him,” he submitted.
“The accused has a clean public service record, with no prior criminal record or disciplinary action throughout his 33 years of service with the police.”
However, deputy public prosecutor Radzi Shah Razak sought a custodial sentence and a heavy fine, citing the seriousness of the offences and Azhar's position as a senior police officer.
He said Azhar had abused his position as Temerloh police chief by accepting money from certain parties, undermining public trust in civil servants.
“This conduct has the potential to erode public trust in the civil service, particularly the police, and tarnish the image of civil servants as a whole,” he said.
The court ordered Azhar to enter his defence on all 46 charges on June 29 last year.