Sessions judge Ahmad Zamzani Mohd Zain meted out the sentence after finding Sheikh Hassan Sheikh Zainuddin, 57, who has been suspended from duty as the Peramu fire and rescue station head, guilty of the offence.

However, Sheikh Hassan would only have to serve 18 months in jail as the court ordered the jail sentences of 18 months on each count to be served concurrently from today.

In the judgment, Zamzani said the court found that the accused had failed to prove reasonable doubt on the charges against him.

The judge also allowed Sheikh Hassan’s application to stay the jail sentence pending his appeal to the High Court and increased bail from RM5,000 to RM10,000.

Sheikh Hassan was charged with using his position for gratification by awarding contracts to Puncak Cahaya Azam Enterprise, a company owned by his wife, to provide food for members involved in programmes and operations organised by the station between March 2014 and Aug 3, 2015, with each contract worth RM1,075 to RM7,500.

The firefighter, who has three children, was charged under Section 23 of the Malaysian Anti -Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, which provides imprisonment for up to 20 years and a fine of RM10,000 or five times the value of the gratification, or whichever is higher, upon conviction.

The prosecution was conducted by MACC deputy public prosecutors Siti Sarah Zainal Abiddin and Muhammad Asraf Mohamed Tahir, while the accused was represented by G Ravishankar.