A Court of Appeal three-member bench, comprising Justices Che Ruzima Ghazali, Azmi Ariffin and Noorin Badaruddin, unanimously dismissed Faruk’s appeal and upheld the decisions of both the sessions court and the High Court.

In delivering the unanimous decision, Che Ruzima said there was overwhelming evidence showing solicitation, receipt and handing over of the bribe.

“There is no reason to disturb the findings of fact that were correctly decided by the trial judge,” he said, adding that the appeal had no merit.

The appellate court affirmed the conviction on two charges and maintained the sentence of one year’s imprisonment and a RM10,000 fine for each charge, to run concurrently.

Che Ruzima also issued a warrant of committal for Faruk, who had been out on a RM3,000 bail in one surety, to begin serving his sentence today.

Faruk, 36, paid the fine.

In September 2022, the sessions court found Faruk guilty of soliciting and receiving a RM2,000 bribe from Norhayati Seman to alter the urine test result of Ismadi Ismail, who had tested positive for methamphetamine.

The offences were committed at the office of the assistant investigating officer of the narcotics division, Jeli police headquarters in Kelantan, on Nov 14 and 15, 2017.

The sessions court sentenced him to one year in prison and imposed a RM10,000 fine for each charge, with five months’ imprisonment in default of payment.

The imprisonment term is to run concurrently. The High Court later dismissed his appeal in March 2024 and upheld the lower court’s decision.

Faruk was represented by lawyer Ahmad Zaharil Muhaiyar, while the deputy public prosecutor from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, Farah Ezlin Yusop Khan, appeared for the prosecution.