THE Intermediate Court yesterday sentenced a former director of Forestry Department, Hj Abd Rahman Hj Chuchu, 57, to six months in jail after being finding him guilty of one count of corruption.
Investigations conducted by the Anti-Corruption Bureau 11 years ago revealed that the defendant had on October 26, 1999 while he was the director of Forestry Department, had knowingly used government’s payment voucher with the intent to deceive the government by approving payment of $1,400 relating to the purchase of one unit “Hummingbird W 30 Paramount Finders”.
Hj Abd Rahman originally faced three charges under the Corruption Act and one charge of committing criminal breach of trust of 100 Asoka Trees.
He was acquitted of the three charges; two on the Corruption Act and one on the breach of trust. Additionally, the Intermediate Court presided by Judge Lim Siew Yen granted Hj Abd Rahman’s defence counsel, Roy Prabhakaran plea for a stay of execution to appear before the Court of Appeal against the conviction. He was released on court bail at $10,000 with one local surety. The charge has read that Hj Abd Rahman, a government servant of 31 years, was accused of cheating the government in 1999 and 2000. He had allegedly cheated the government of $392 by purchasing four Royal Palm trees from Asri Landscaping Services which would be made use for the Sungai Liang Forestry Centre. However, the trees had been delivered and planted at the D’Anggerek Hotel and to “mislead the government” into approving payment for them. He was also accused of another corruption charge for 14 Asoka trees the same year and Criminal Breach of Trust charges involving 100 trees the next year costing $6,500.
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