ATTORNEY GENERAL’S CHAMBERS
PRESS RELEASE
FRIDAY, 3RD OCTOBER 2025
PUBLIC PROSECUTOR
V
MUHAMMAD ALI ISKANDAR BIN MUSTAPHA
A former Assistant Narcotics Officer II Muhammad Ali Iskandar bin Mustapha was
charged before the Honourable Senior Magistrate Hajah Azrimah binti Haji Abdul
Rahman on 26th December 2024, for five counts of section 12B of the Prevention of
Corruption Act, Chapter 131 and two charges taken into consideration. This section
carries a penalty of a fine of $30,000 and imprisonment of 7 years.
Muhammad Ali Iskandar pleaded guilty to all the charges preferred against him. The
Honourable Senior Magistrate subsequently imposed an overall custodial sentence of 2
years and 8 months’ imprisonment.
The Prosecution subsequently filed an appeal against the sentence on the basis that the
sentence was manifestly inadequate. The appeal was heard before The Honourable
Judicial Commissioner of the Supreme Court Haji Abdullah Soefri bin POKSM DSP Haji
Abidin. In the appeal, the Prosecution invited the Court to reconsider the weight accorded
to the aggravating features of the case. These included the degree of abuse of his position
as an Assistant Narcotics Officer II at the Narcotics Control Bureau, the frequency of the
commission of the misconduct, the nature of information he disclosed, and the
overarching effect of his misconduct on the Narcotics Control Bureau - the sole institution
entrusted to eradicate the use, supply and trafficking of illicit drugs in Brunei Darussalam.
In handing down his judgement on 2nd October 2025, The Honourable Judicial
Commissioner remarked that the aggravating factors present in the case led the court to
take on the view that the starting points for the offences committed by Muhammad Ali
Iskandar should be nearer to the maximum prescribed penalty for the offence under
section 12B, which is imprisonment sentence of 7 years. He further highlighted that
among the most aggravating features of this case are Muhammad Ali Iskandar’s abuse of
his position as a Narcotics Officer in order to obtain personal benefits, and the overall
effect of his misconduct on the public trust and their confidence in the integrity of the
Narcotics Control Bureau.
The Honourable Judicial Commissioner then ordered for the overall custodial sentence to
be increased to a total of 4 years’ imprisonment. The appeal was conducted by Deputy
Public Prosecutor Siti Khalillah binti Haji Hussin.
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