MELAKA, Oct 4 — Two Bitcoin cryptocurrency miners were fined RM45,000 and RM10,000 each respectively after pleading guilty to bribing Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) agents as an inducement not to take action against them for stealing electricity.
Sessions Court Judge Elesabet Paya Wan meted out the fine on Tey Boon Sin, 33, and Leang Ting Sheng, 43.
Both of them were charged with two alternative charges of giving bribes to TNB agents as an inducement to not take action against them for stealing electricity.
Tey was fined RM20,000, in default five months’ jail for the first charge and RM25,000, in default six months’ jail, for the second charge, while Leang was fined RM3,000, in default two months jail, and RM7,000, in default two months jail, for both the charges respectively.
According to the charges, Tey was alleged to have given bribes of RM14,500 and RM17,500 to TNB agents as an inducement not to take action against him for stealing electricity.
He was charged with committing the offences at a car park at Starbucks Coffee, Jalan Kota Laksamana at 3.45pm on October 6, 2021, and at a car park in front of the Perbadanan Kemajuan Tanah Adat Melaka building at 6pm on November 19, 2021.
As for Leang, he was charged with giving bribes of RM500 and RM2,500 with the same intention to the TNB agents.
The offences were committed at a car park at Medan Samudera, Jalan Merdeka, at 4pm on September 20, 2021, and the parking area at Freeport A Famosa Outlet, Alor Gajah, at 3.50pm on October 4, 2021.
The charges were framed under Section 214 of the Penal Code, which provides an imprisonment for up to 10 years, or with a fine, or both, if found guilty.
Tey was represented by lawyer Azrul Zulkifli Stork, while lawyer Azri Abd Hamid represented Leang.
Deputy public prosecutor from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Irwan Shah Abdul Samat prosecuted.
— Bernama
