ATTORNEY GENERAL'S CHAMBERS
PRESS RELEASE
WEDNESDAY, 22ND OCTOBER 2025
HIGH COURT SETS ASIDE THE ACQUITTALS OF TWO GOVERNMENT SERVANTS AND ORDERS A RETRIAL
PUBLIC PROSECUTOR
V
HAJI MUHAMMAD SUFFIAN BIN HAJI BUNGSU
AND
JONATHAN KHO CHEW SEN
On 22nd October 2025, the Honourable Judicial Commissioner Haji Abdullah Soefri bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin allowed the Public Prosecutor's appeal against the acquittal of Haji Muhammad Suffian bin Haji Bungsu and Jonathan Kho Chew Sen.
The respondents claimed trial in the Magistrates' Court for offences under sections 6(a) and 6(b) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, Chapter 131, and alternative charges under section 165 and section 109 read with section 165 of the Penal Code, Chapter 22.
At the time of the alleged offences, Haji Muhammad Suffian was the Director of Radio Television Brunei (RTB), Prime Minister's Office, and Jonathan Kho was the Assistant Head of Editorial News and Current Affairs, RTB. The case involved a Mercedes-Benz C200 CGI AMG Sports valued at B$66,800 given by Jonathan Kho Chew Sen to Haji Muhammad Suffian bin Haji Bungsu which was alleged to be gratification for securing his appointment as the Acting Head of News and Current Affairs at RTB.
At the end of the trial, the trial magistrate accepted the defence case that the car was an interest-free loan that had no connection to Jonathan Kho's appointment in RTB, though there was never any repayment. Both respondents were acquitted on 6 March 2025.
On appeal, the Honourable Judicial Commissioner held that the trial magistrate had misdirected herself on the presumption under the Prevention of Corruption Act, that any gratification proven to have been given or received is corrupt unless the contrary is shown. It was further held that the trial magistrate did not decide whether this presumption had been successfully rebutted by the respondents, and that the trial magistrate failed to assess the evidence in totality based on the objective test of a reasonable man when determining corrupt intent.
The High Court set aside the acquittals, and ordered a retrial on all main and alternative charges.
Deputy Public Prosecutors Hajah Suriana binti Haji Radin and Nurul Fitri binti Kiprawi appeared for the Public Prosecutor. The respondents were represented by Mr Roy Prabhakaran and Mr Kamal bin Shaari of Messrs Yusof Halim & Partners.
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Terjemahan
Pada 22 Oktober 2025, Yang Arif Pesuruhjaya Kehakiman Haji Abdullah Soefri bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin telah membenarkan rayuan yang dibuat oleh Pendakwa Raya atas pembebasan Haji Muhammad Suffian bin Haji Bungsu dan Jonathan Kho Chew Sen.
Responden telah dibicarakan di Mahkamah Majistret atas kesalahan di bawah bab-bab 6(a) dan 6(b) Akta Pencegahan Rasuah, Penggal 131, serta pertuduhan alternatif di bawah bab 165 dan bab 109 dibaca bersama bab 165 Kanun Hukuman Jenayah, Penggal 22.
Semasa kesalahan yang didakwa berlaku, Haji Muhammad Suffian merupakan Pengarah Radio Televisyen Brunei (RTB), Jabatan Perdana Menteri, manakala Jonathan Kho merupakan Penolong Ketua Bahagian Berita dan Hal Ehwal Semasa, RTB. Kes ini melibatkan sebuah kereta Mercedes-Benz C200 CGI AMG Sports bernilai B$66,800 yang diberikan oleh Jonathan Kho Chew Sen kepada Haji Muhammad Suffian bin Haji Bungsu, yang didakwa sebagai satu bentuk suapan bagi tujuan mendapatkan pelantikan beliau sebagai Pemangku Ketua Bahagian Berita dan Hal Ehwal Semasa di RTB.
Pada akhir perbicaraan, Mahkamah Majistret telah menerima hujahan pembelaan bahawa kereta tersebut merupakan pinjaman tanpa faedah yang tiada kaitan dengan pelantikan Jonathan Kho di RTB, walaupun tiada bayaran balik pernah dibuat. Kedua-dua responden telah dibebaskan pada 6 Mac 2025.
Dalam rayuan tersebut, Yang Arif Pesuruhjaya Kehakiman berpendapat bahawa Mahkamah Majistret telah tersilap tafsir berhubung anggapan (presumption) di bawah Akta Pencegahan Rasuah, iaitu apa-apa suapan yang dibuktikan telah diberikan atau diterima hendaklah dianggap sebagai rasuah melainkan dibuktikan sebaliknya. Mahkamah Tinggi turut berpendapat bahawa Mahkamah Majistret tidak memutuskan sama ada anggapan tersebut telah berjaya dibantah oleh responden, dan Mahkamah Majistret gagal menilai keseluruhan keterangan secara menyeluruh berdasarkan ujian objektif orang yang munasabah dalam menentukan niat rasuah.
Mahkamah Tinggi telah membatalkan pembebasan tersebut dan mengarahkan perbicaraan semula bagi semua pertuduhan utama dan alternatif.
Pihak Pendakwa Raya diwakili oleh Timbalan Pendakwa Raya Hajah Suriana binti Haji Radin dan Nurul Fitri binti Kiprawi, sementara Responden diwakili oleh Peguamcara Roy Prabhakaran dan Kamal bin Shaari dari firma guaman Tetuan Yusof Halim & Partners.
-TAMAT-
