MELAKA, Feb 14 — A self-employed man, believed to be a "tonto” (middleman), was charged in the Ayer Keroh Session Court here today with 43 counts of receiving gratification, amounting to RM101,625, since 2016.

Norsham Ahmad, 51, pleaded not guilty to all the charges before judge Elesabet Paya Wan.

He was charged with corruptly receiving the money through online transfer from 10 transport companies as an inducement to an officer of the Road Transport Department (JPJ) from taking action against lorries belonging to the companies concerned.

The online transactions were made into several bank accounts belonging to him, his son and an individual between Jan 2016 to March 2021.

The charge, framed under Section 16(b)(B) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act, provides imprisonment for up to 20 years and fine of not less than five times the sum or value of the gratification, or RM10,000, whichever is the higher, if found guilty.

Judge Elesabet allowed Norsham bail of RM45,000 with one surety and also ordered him to surrender his passport to the court, as well as report imself at the Melaka MACC office one a month.

The court set April 11 for mention.

Deputy public prosecutor from MACC Muhammad Asraf Mohamed Tahir prosecuted, while Norsham was represented by lawyer Fahmy Sulaiman. — Bernama