A three-member bench chaired by Hanipah Farikullah also upheld Khalid Omar’s conviction for money laundering after RM375,000 was found in his house.

The bench, also consisting of Hadhariah Syed Ismail and Che Ruzima Ghazali, affirmed a 15-month jail term and RM5 million fine, or another five month’s jail, for the money laundering offence.

The custodial sentence for corruption and money laundering charges are to run concurrently, meaning Khalid, 61, will only serve 15 months.

Khalid, represented by Ragunath Kesavan and J Kuldeep Kumar, was freed on bail of RM350,000 pending his final appeal today.

Deputy public prosecutor Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar appeared for the prosecution.

Hanipah said the bench found the conviction for corruption safe as there was no doubt the money was received from sub-contractors for the department’s social and sport activities.

She said the only exception was in regard to the RM375,000 in which the prosecution could not prove that Khalid had received the proceeds from another four unlawful activities.

The sessions court had sentenced Khalid to 15 months’ jail and fined him RM36 million for 18 counts of corruption and money laundering on July 5, 2018.

The High Court dismissed Khalid’s appeal and affirmed the conviction and sentence.

Khalid received a total of RM196,200 in bribes at the Melaka PWD office at Jalan Taming Sari between March 2014 and August 2016.

The charges were framed under Section 165 of the Penal Code, which provides an imprisonment for up to two years, or with fine, or both the punishments, if found guilty.

He was also charged with money laundering, involving about RM5.2 million, including RM206,396.16 in his Amanah Saham Bumiputera 2 account, RM506,735.92 in a Tabung Haji account, RM375,200 cash, RM1,984,798.08 in an Amanah Saham Wawasan 2020 account and RM2.13 million in an Amanah Saham Didik account.

The offences were allegedly committed at several locations in the state, between Sept 1, 2015 and Aug 15, 2016.

The charges were made under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, which carries a maximum jail sentence of 15 years, or fine not less than five times the aggregate sum or value of proceeds from the illegal activities, upon conviction.