Ex-army chief remanded for 7 days in graft probe

Former army chief Hafizuddeain Jantan has been remanded for seven days to assist probes into a controversial military procurement tender.

One of his wives was also remanded for six days, while another of his spouses will be remanded for three days.

Bernama reported that the Putrajaya Magistrate’s Court had granted the MACC’s remand applications today.

Hafizuddeain and his two wives were earlier brought to the court compound at around 10am in a van and a car belonging to the MACC.

All three, dressed in orange MACC lockup attire, were later escorted into the court complex by officers from the anti-graft agency.

Yesterday, Hafizuddeain and his wives were detained at about 7pm after presenting themselves at the MACC headquarters in Putrajaya several hours earlier.

On Dec 29, MACC froze six bank accounts belonging to the senior military officer and his family members to assist in the investigation.

In addition to Hafizuddeain and his spouses, another couple linked to the case was also detained. The couple, who are company owners, is under a seven-day remand beginning yesterday.

Last month, Port Dickson Bersatu chief Badrul Hisham Shaharin alleged that a forensic review of documents that he received anonymously showed monthly transactions amounting to tens of thousands of ringgit credited into the accounts of a senior army officer and his family members.

His complaints led to Hafizuddeain’s appointment as the next armed forces chief to be put on hold, despite the appointment having been decided at an Armed Forces Council meeting and receiving royal assent.

On Dec 27, Hafizuddeain was ordered to go on leave to allow an investigation to take place, with probes conducted under Section 17(a) of the MACC Act 2009.

Allegations of bribery at Kelantan station

Meanwhile, in a separate case, Kelantan police chief Yusoff Mamat said statements have been recorded from four police officers attached to the Bachok police station over an alleged bribery case.

The incident, which was said to have occurred on Dec 30, allegedly saw several officers demanding RM6,000 from the mother of a detained suspect.

The officers also supposedly threatened the mother by claiming that her son would be locked up and charged the following day if she failed to comply before midnight.

As quoted by New Straits Times, Yusoff said no disciplinary action, including suspension from duty, has been taken against the four officers, with the investigation process to be completed before any decision is made.

Commenting on the suspect from Bachok who was allegedly released after his family paid the requested funds, Yusoff said the man had tested positive for drugs.

“We are currently tracking him down again to assist with further investigations,” Yusoff said, affirming that the man will also be rearrested.

Previously, former MACC special operations director Bahri Zin lauded Bachok district police chief Ismail Jamaluddin for his integrity and efficiency in reprimanding the officers said to be involved in the incident.

According to Bahri, a mother from Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, had pleaded to him for assistance after her son was detained by a group of police officers in Bachok over suspicions of drug possession.

However, after a whistleblower contacted Ismail, the errant officers were reprimanded, and the extorted money was returned to the victim’s mother.

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