Seven officers and personnel from the Royal Customs and Excise Department, RCED appeared before the Intermediate Court in Bandar Seri Begawan today to face respective charges of corruption, conspiring to commit criminal breach of trust and misuse of public office.
All seven defendants were arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau, ACB in a joint operation with other security agencies conducted from 8th September to 4th October 2022. The operation is associated with information received by ACB that RCED officers had committed offences of selling items seized by RCED which are kept at the RCED warehouse in Muara, some of which have been ordered for disposal.
This led to the arrest of Pg Mohd Amir Ilham bin Pg Hj Yusop, Deputy Superintendent of Customs who is the Deputy Head of Assets and Logistics Management Unit and Pg Ehsaney Mohammad Mustaffa bin Pg Jalil, Inspection Officer, who were then brought to the Magistrates Court on 10th September 2022 and remanded for 2 weeks for further investigations. This led to the subsequent arrests of one Indian national and five other RCED officers and personnel involved in the case who were also remanded on various dates for further investigations.
One of those subsequently arrested was Abu Talip bin Haji Awang Tengah, Deputy Superintendent of Customs, who is the Head of Assets and Logistics Management Unit, and whom yesterday was charged for committing criminal breach of trust under Section 409 Penal Code in August 2022, for misappropriating properties seized by RCED including various vehicle spare parts, a mini motorcycle, bicycles, mobile phones, watches, jade bracelets and a grass cutter which were entrusted to Abu Talip bin Haji Awang Tengah as the Head of Assets and Logistics Management Unit, RCED; whilst Pg Mohd Amir Ilham bin Pg Hj Yusop, Deputy Superintendent of Customs; Pg Ehsaney Mohammad Mustaffa bin Pg Jalil, Customs Inspection Officer; Dayangku Harlizan binti Pengiran Zainal, Customs Officer;
Muhammad Nazirul Mubin bin Ismail, Customs Officer; Muhammad Khairul Zaman bin Haji A. Said, Customs Inspection Officer and Marsidi bin Haji Bakir, Customs Personnel were all charged under Section 409 Penal Code read with 109 of the same for conspiring to commit criminal breach of trust in August 2022 together with Abu Talip bin Haji Awang Tengah. Further investigation by ACB also shows other offences purportedly being committed by Pg Ehsaney Mohammad Mustaffa bin Pg Jalil, Customs Inspection Officer who was yesterday further charged for two offences under Section 6 A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, for corruptly receiving $150 and $100 in September 2022 as a reward from a contractor who had been awarded two separate projects to conduct installation works at RCED. Pg Ehsaney Mohammad Mustaffa bin Pg Jalil was also additionally charged under Section 12B Prevention of Corruption Act for misconducting himself as a public servant, namely a Customs Inspection Officer, by selling intoxicating liquor to an Indian national between 28th August 2022 and 5th September 2022 which is an offence in contravention of Section 78 of the Excise Order, 2006.
No plea was taken from all 7 defendants and Intermediate Court has set the 12th of December 2022 for further mention of the case. All seven defendants are released on court bail of $10,000 or 2 local sureties. The ACB reminds that public servants including law enforcement officers are entrusted with powers to serve the public interest. Any abuse or misuse of their position and powers, as well as any engagement or involvement in corrupt practices, is liable to be prosecuted under the Prevention of Corruption Act with a penalty of 7 years imprisonment and 30 thousand dollars fine, whereas an offence of criminal breach of trust under the Penal Code will have a penalty of 20 years imprisonment and a fine. The Anti-Corruption Bureau would also like to remind public servants including law enforcement officers to exercise their powers and authority judiciously and ethically.
Source: Radio Television Brunei