Ahmad Sarbani Mohamed

Ahmad Sarbani Mohamed was a Malaysian customs officer from Port Klang. On 6 April 2011, he was found dead in an open air badminton court on the first floor of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) building in Kuala Lumpur. His death coincided with the MACC's investigation into allegations of corruption in the Royal Malaysian Customs. a verdict which was rejected by the victim's family.

Biography Ahmad Sarbani bin Mohamed was the Selangor Customs assistant director. He was attached to the Port Klang Customs office. That figure was later revised to RM2.2 billion. A special task force comprising the MACC, the Inland Revenue Board, the Customs Department and Bank Negara Malaysia raided over 100 premises, including 25 Royal Malaysian Customs offices, in what was known as "Operation 3B." He was first detained on 1 April 2011. During this round of questioning, he confessed to accepting between RM50 and RM100 a month from Schenker Logistics officer Wan Zainal Abidin Wan Zaki and between RM30 and RM200 a month from a Top Mark Freight & Shipping officer called Ah Seng. After giving his statement, Sarbani was released on bail.

Aftermath In a press conference after the news emerged, MACC director of investigations Mustafar Ali said Ahmad Sarbani went to the MACC building without prior appointment.

None of the Customs officers initially held under the tax evasion and money laundering allegations has been charged. and continued on 2 August.

Family Sarbani's wife, Maziah, told the court that her husband was "very calm, patient and rational" and would "never" have committed suicide.

Schenker Logistics Schenker Logistics senior executive Wan Zainal Abidin Wan Zaki denied that Sarbani ever took bribes from his company. Zainal Abidin said Sarbani called him at 8:55pm on 4 April to tell him that his name was mentioned by Sarbani when questioned by the MACC. He also told the court he felt Sarbani was being pressured. Zainal Abidin last spoke to Sarbani at 9:55pm on 5 April to ask how he was.

Customs officers Customs officer Abdul Rahim Abdul Kadir, who among those arrested in the MACC crackdown on tax evasion and money laundering, told the court that he was beaten and forced to confess to accepting bribes by the MACC. Another Customs officer, Mohd Khairul Hisyam Mohd Gazali, said Sarbani told him on 2 April that he was pressured by the MACC to confess that he had accepted bribes but refused to give in.

MACC Investigating officer Abdul Ghani Ali testified that he was under orders from KL MACC investigation unit head Mohd Fauzi Husin not to allow Sarbani to change his statement on 6 April. He said he ordered Sarbani to wait in the MACC office before Sarbani was found dead.

Forensic investigator DSP Sharul Othman Mansor told the court that Sarbani's death was neither suicide nor murder. He instead claimed that Sarbani tried to jump over the roof of the badminton court, but missed and fell to his death. Sharul added that there were no signs of a struggle and that an optical illusion made the roof appear near to the corner of the window.

Forensic pathologist Faridah Mohd Noor, who performed the autopsy, said the death was "accidental" based on "the injuries and circumstantial evidence."

Verdict On 26 September 2011, the coroner's court ruled Sarbani's death an accident. Coroner Aizatul Akmal Maharani said the fear of being arrested must have preyed heavily on Ahmad Sarbani's mind so as to make him consider the window exit. Aizatul also remarked that the MACC officer tasked to look after Sarbani on 6 April had been "negligent." He claimed the MACC then went through great lengths, including "concoct[ing] the most plausible story" and wiping CCTV footage, to cover up the incident.

Sarbani's family lawyer Awtar Singh said Raja Petra's allegations were "plausible [ada asasnya]."

The MACC's lawyer called the allegations "nonsense."