Ikhwan Mahat, 32, a lance corporal, was accused of demanding RM200 from Lee Log Ling, 25, to ensure no action would be taken against her friend, a Chinese national, who had been unable to produce her passport.

Magistrate Illi Marisqa Khalizan ruled that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against Ikhwan.

“The prosecution failed to prove the elements of the offence as the two women who claimed to have been victims of the extortion were not called to give their evidence in court.

“Further, a Grab driver testified that he did not see any money being passed to the accused or the accused asking for money from the two women passengers,” the magistrate said.

Illi said no act of extortion was committed, based on the driver’s testimony.

Ikhwan was accused of committing the offence at Jalan Dato Onn here at about 11pm on March 23 this year.

If convicted, he would have been liable to up to two of three potential punishments – a jail term of up to 10 years, a fine or whipping.

The charge stemmed from a video which went viral in April in which the Chinese national claimed that a policeman had extorted money from her.

Lawyer P Purshotaman represented Ikhwan, while deputy public prosecutor Syafika Azwa Fikri appeared for the prosecution.