Sessions court judge Ahmad Zamzani Mohd Zain said the prosecution had established a prima facie case against Mohamad Amin Shahul Hamid.

Amin, 38, was charged in December 2019 with soliciting and accepting bribes.

In the first three charges, Amin allegedly solicited RM185,000 in bribes from Hassan Basri Ahmad Sutan Modo as inducement for him not to impose a jail sentence on the latter over a charge of possession of contraband cigarettes at the Kuala Lipis magistrates court.

At the sessions court here today, Amin was charged under Section 16(a)(B) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009.

If found guilty, he can be jailed up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher, on each charge as provided under Section 24 of the Act.

In the remaining five charges, Amin is accused of receiving bribes amounting to RM110,000 from the same person and for a similar offence.

The five counts are under Section 17(a) of the MACC Act 2009, punishable under Section 24.

The eight offences were allegedly committed at several locations in Kuala Lipis and Raub, Pahang, between July 5 and Oct 22, 2019.

Zamzani fixed Oct 18 for the defence to begin its case.

RSN Rayer represented the accused while deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin prosecuted.