KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 6 — An Immigration officer was fined RM50,000 by the Sessions Court here today after he admitted to accepting bribes totalling RM15,000 to help release several Chinese and Filipino nationals at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (KLIA 2) Immigration counter, last year.

Judge Suzana Hussin meted out the fine in default five months’ jail, on Yusrazif Wan Yusoh, 42, after he pleaded guilty to five amended charges read out against him.

The accused was charged with five counts of accepting cash totalling RM15,000 from Yuen Hon Loong for the immigration clearance of several Chinese and Filipino nationals at the Klia 2 Departure Hall Immigration Counter in Sepang, Selangor.

The offences committed at Alliance Islamic Bank Putrajaya branch, Menara Ikhlas, Precinct 3, Putrajaya between October 28 and November 16, 2020 were framed under Section 165 of the Penal Code which carries a maximum jail term of two years or a fine or both.

Earlier, lawyer Azrul Zulkifli Stork representing Yusrazif, who was detained in Ops Selat, appealed for a financial penalty on the grounds that his client had repented and has a wife and four children to support.

“My client was one of the two Immigration officers who helped the authorities bust the stamp falsification syndicate. He also suffers from diabetes and kidney disease,” said the lawyer.

Deputy public prosecutor Mohd Shahrom Idris, however, urged for a deterrent sentence taking into account the case was of public interest.

“The sentence must reflect the seriousness of the offence and serve as a warning to the public not to get involved in corruption,” he said.

Based on the facts of the case, Yusrazif, who had served the Immigration Department since March 12, 2006, was given the task to monitor local citizens, permanent residents and foreign nationals as they pass through the Immigration checkpoint at Klia 2.

The result of the investigation found that the accused had received a list of names and passport details of foreigners who had been detained due to discrepancies in their travel documents, from Yuen.

The accused would then assist to facilitate the release of these foreigners to enable them to return their homeland and in return for the favours, Yuen would pay him via online money transfer.