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KUALA LUMPUR: Two Lembaga Tabung Haji employees were jailed and fined RM100,000 for "fast tracking" pilgrims by hacking the pilgrimage fund's database.
Sessions Court judge Mat Ghani Abdullah on Wednesday convicted clerk Roslan Mohamed Som, 47, for graft by accepting RM6,750 to allow 27 pilgrims to “jump queue” in the 2010 Haj list.
He also found research and development division and systems analyst Afizul Yasin, 32, guilty of three counts of using a special computer programme to access the Tabung Haji database to add the pilgrims' names to the system.
"The court finds the defence has failed to raise reasonable doubt against the prosecution's case," ruled judge Mat Ghani.
Counsel Imam Abu Sa'id Nashrawi plead for leniency due to his client, Roslan's poor health and the need for continued medical treatment.
Deputy public prosecutor with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Mohd Sophian Zakaria argued that the mitigation was merely personal excuses.
"The accused, as employees of Tabung Haji have marred the image of the fund and the government through their actions," said Mohd Sophian.
He urged the court to hand down a harsh punishment, saying it was a matter of public interest.
Judge Mat Ghani sentenced Roslan to four years in prison and RM40,000 fine while Afizul to three years’ prison, and a total of RM60,000 fine for his three offences.
The court allowed Imam's application for a stay of execution, but raised bail to RM30,000 for each accused.
Roslan had claimed trial to charges under Section 17(a) of the MACC Act 2009 for accepting a bribe from one Samsudin Ibrahim, in July 2010, to allow the pilgrims to jump queue.
Afizul was charged with unauthorised computer modification under Section 5(1) of the Computer Crimes Act for adding 27 names to the Tabung Haji database between June 10 and July 15 at the Tabung H
