Two individuals were charged before the Magistrates’ Court for offences under Prevention of Corruption Act, Chapter 131. A Filipino national, Argel Sanchez David (the Defendant), aged 30 pleaded guilty to committing an offence under section 6b of the Prevention of Corruption Act, while Chin Chee Vun aged 52, pleaded not guilty and claimed trial to abetting the said offence. The Anti-Corruption Bureau investigations were conducted after receiving a complaint from the Royal Customs and Excise Department, Ministry of Finance and Economy, on corruption activities at the guardhouse and Post Office in Muara in relation to the false declaration of goods.
Investigations carried out by the Anti-Corruption Bureau revealed that the Defendant went to the Customs Guardhouse and Muara Port Post Office to obtain the necessary Declaration Form in respect of a goods consignment. After receiving the said Declaration form signed by a Customs Officer, the Defendant walked towards the Royal Customs and Excise Department payment counter where a Customs Inspection Officer was stationed. Upon reaching the said payment counter, the Defendant gave cash monies amounting to $20 to the Customs Inspection Officer on duty, by placing the said monies on the Payment Counter at the Customs Guardhouse and Muara Port Post Office, as an inducement for reward, not to take action against him for any violations pertaining to Customs Declaration.
The Defendant further admitted that, he was instigated to give cash monies in the sum of $50 to a Customs Inspection Officer as “supervising fee” or “belanja” to ensure that any Customs Declaration Clearance matters would run smoothly. The said monies were issued with a payment voucher with remarks “being cash payment for supervising fee… remarks: token of appreciation for smooth clearance of cargoes”. The Defendant further admitted that instead of giving all the said cash monies, he had instead only given $20 to the Customs Inspection Officer. The Customs Inspection Officer subsequently reported the matter to her superior officer which led to this investigation and prosecution. The court imposed a sentence of eight months imprisonment and set 27th July 2022 to fix hearing dates for Chin Chee Vun who has been released on court bail. The ACB reminds the public that offering corruption to any enforcement officer is a serious offence that can be punished on conviction with a maximum penalty for each offence with a fine of 30 thousand dollars and 7 years imprisonment.
Source: Radio Television Brunei