Ipoh:A former Head of the Perak Immigration Prosecution Unit has commenced serving a three-year prison term after the Court of Appeal reinstated his conviction and sentence for bribery, along with a fine of RM85,000.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the Court of Appeal, led by Judge Datuk Noorin Badaruddin, unanimously overturned the Ipoh High Court's earlier decision to acquit Zaidi Dali, 58. The court found that the High Court judge had erred in acquitting Zaidi, and that the prosecution had provided sufficient grounds to support their appeal.

The Sessions Court's original conviction was reinstated, and the Appeals Court ordered that a committal warrant be issued immediately. Judge Noorin emphasized that corruption undermines public trust, and it is crucial for public authorities to address such allegations seriously to maintain confidence in the judicial system.

The case against Zaidi involved soliciting a monthly bribe of RM10,000 from Nga Chee Jiek to avoid inspections and raids on an entertainment center. The offense took place at the Meru Valley Golf and Country Club on November 5, 2015. Additionally, Zaidi was charged with accepting a RM7,000 bribe from Nga at the same location on November 11, 2015.

The prosecution, represented by Deputy Public Prosecutor Farah Ezlin Yusop Khan, successfully appealed the Ipoh High Court's 2025 decision to acquit Zaidi. Zaidi, represented by lawyer Datuk M. Athimulan, was originally sentenced by the Ipoh Sessions Court in 2022.