BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

IN A corruption trial involving a former diplomat posted at the Brunei embassy in Jakarta in 2006, the defendant yesterday alleged entrapment by Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) officers.

Hj Yakib Hj Jumat is facing 10 charges under Section 6(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, Chapter 131 and 10 more under Section 165 of the Penal Code, Chapter 22.

He is alleged to have corruptly obtained money from Indonesian employment agents in return for issuing hundreds of work visas.

Hj Yakib told the Magistrates Court that on the day of his arrest, December 6, 2006, four officers led by ACB Special Chief Investigator Hj Balim Hj Bali arrived unannounced at the embassy in Jakarta. They presented their identification and a search warrant, and asked him to present two specific envelopes, he said.

“I took out the envelope I received from Asroh Sukaeni from the inside right hand pocket of my jacket and took out another envelope from Zetira Anas Nazar from the office table that I had unlocked from the office drawer and placed it on the table,” he said.

The defendant said he was instructed to open the envelopes, and count and verify the serial numbers of the money they contained.

He was then asked write a statement to confirm what had just taken place, Hj Yakib said.

He added that five or more office files were seized with no explanation or questions asked by the officers while they searched in his office.

Hj Yakib said he “just followed orders” by the authorities and did not object as the procedure was all “new to him”, adding that Hj Balim showed him how to write the statement and to sign to verify the money had been seized.

The defence counsel read to the court a document prepared by ACB titled “Trap Money List” containing details of the amount of money and the names of the people involved in the “sting operation”.

Asroh Sukaeni and Zetira Anas Nazar were named on the list. The money in the envelopes seized also matched the amount stated on the list.

However, the defendant said he was “trapped” into receiving the money, as the name of the “Trap Money List” clearly intended.

In defence of credit card payments made during the period, Hj Yakib said, “I did not pay my credit card debts in one go. I paid between the range of three to four million rupiah in credit card instalments until I settled my debts,” he said, adding that this was a practice of his long before he was posted to Jakarta.

Hj Yakib said the embassy gave him an allowance of between “$3,200 and $3,300″ in addition to house rental, which was sufficient to settle his credit card debts, and that he received extra money for special purchases he made in line with his work at the embassy.

Hj Yakib originally faced 26 charges, but six were withdrawn as the main complainant could not travel to Brunei from Jakarta due to medical reasons.

If found guilty, the defendant faces a fine of up to $30,000 or up to seven years imprisonment, or both, for each charge .

The trial continues on November 16.

The Brunei Times

• Brunei rockets into 2010
• How the man believed to be Tan got away
• High Court rejects Singaporean's appeal for reduced sentence
• Bruneians break for the beaches to enjoy the festive holiday
• Ferry tickets to Labuan sell like hot cakes