The late Selangor Customs deputy chief Ahmad Sarbaini Mohamed was “insulted and verbally assaulted” during the time he spent at the Kuala Lumpur Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on the day of his arrest.

Close friend and confidante, Customs assistant director Azman Jusoh, said Sarbaini had told him that MACC officers had said ‘You don’t deserve to wear a uniform’.

Sarbaini was among 62 Customs officers detained by the MACC in a graft probe dubbed ‘Operation 3B’, in relation to losses of up to RM2.2 billion in under-declared taxes.

He was arrested on April 1, taken to the KL MACC office before being taken to the lock-up in Bukit Jalil police station, and released on bail the next day.

Sarbaini was found dead on the badminton court on the first floor of the Kuala Lumpur MACC building in Jalan Cochrane on April 6, shortly after he had been escorted into a witness holding room.

NONE The inquest before coroner Aizatul Akmal Maharani ( left ) seeks to clarify the circumstances of the death, attributed to a fall from a window at a third-floor pantry.

Police have classified the case as ‘sudden death’, while Sarbaini's family have ruled out the possibility that he committed suicide.

Azman told magistrate Aizatul, who sits as the coroner, that he has been friends with Sarbaini since they first met in 1998 at a tennis championship, and the latter has been his sparring partner in all the tennis tournaments they have participated.

Both the Customs officials are based at the Customs Department in Northport, Port Klang.

He said they practised together at least three times a week and he often spent time at Sarbaini’s house after their sessions. 

“When I heard about his arrest I was shocked, I tried to call but there was no answer so I just let it be because I didn’t want to disturb the investigations.

“After the arrest I met him on the evening of April 3 for practice, we had scheduled for it a week before everything happened.

“We played for about 45 minutes and while we were taking a break, the deceased (Sarbaini) told me everything that had happened,” recounted Azman.

According to Azman, aside from being belittled, Sarbaini was labelled “ samseng ” (thug or gangster) and subjected to harsh criticisms.

‘Prison like hell of earth’

He told DPP Azlina Rasdi that Sarbaini disclosed his indictment to a friend because he did not want his wife, Maziah Manap, to worry.

“Sarbaini described his one night experience in the prison cell as neraka dunia (hell on earth),” said Azman, this time sounding infuriated.

“He said he was worried after he saw the prison uniform placed on a chair beside him when he was at the MACC (on April 2),” he added.

Azman explained that they headed to Sarbaini’s house after the tennis practice and had dinner together with his family, but nothing was mentioned about the arrest or the detention.

On the next occasion, Azman said, Sarbaini oddly enough booked the tennis court for practice at 5.30am on April 6.

“We played for about 45 minutes and when we were resting, he said he wanted to change his confession (to the MACC).

“He told me that he had confessed to taking a bribe because he was afraid of being locked-up. But I didn’t ask for the details of what he wanted to alter (in his statement),” said Azman.

Yesterday, MACC assistant superintendent Sheikh Niza Khairy Sheikh Mohamad testified that Sarbaini confessed to him on April 4 about receiving wang ehsan or "goodwill payments" from two forwarding agents.

Earlier today, MACC investigating officer Abdul Ghani Ali testified that in his 20 years experience in anti-corruption work, Sarbaini was the first person to make such a confession . 

Azman said Sarbaini “looked worried” when he asked what happened if the MACC disallowed any change to the statement.

NONE “The next thing I heard was the news of his death, I called Sheikh Niza, whom I’m familiar with as I have previously reported an incident of being offered a bribe to him, to double confirm the rumour, but Sheikh Niza said ‘no comment’ and that he was out for the day,” said Azman.

Prior to Azman’s testimony, Sarbaini’s superior, senior Customs officer Ahmad Maher Abd Jalil, the first of Customs officers to testify today, said Sarbaini said he was accused of accepting bribes on April 2, but was steadfast that he was innocent.

“I met him again on April 5 and he told me that he had confessed to the crime. Sarbaini said he was scared of being locked-up.

“He asked my permission not to work on the assessment forms and asked to be relieved for the day as he had to deal with the MACC pertaining to accusations levelled against him,” Maher said.

“I asked him why he confessed and he said he was afraid of being put in prison. I told him, if we confessed, we would be faced with difficulties,” said Maher, but did not explain what he meant by “difficulties”.

He added that Sarbaini replied “ tidak ada apa tuan, kalau kita berani buat, berani tanggung ” (it is okay sir, dare to do it, dare to face it).

Maher described Sarbaini as a “diligent officer” who completed whatever task was given. He added that he asked Sarbaini if he had actually taken a bribe, to which Sarbaini said: "He replied, ‘I did not sir, I’m a Customs deputy director, RM30, it does not match’,” Maher added.

The inquest at the Jalan Duta court complex continues tomorrow, with Azman on the witness stand.

MACC: First time someone confessed to taking a bribe