No bribery for govt officials

Government officials or public officers should not receive benefits by any person that would result in a particular benefit for the person who has given the gift to the public official.

The Crimes Decree lists benefit as something that includes any advantage, and is not limited to property.

The Bribery and Related Offences section deals with benefit that includes political gain.

The issue of traditional presentations is also questionable as former High Court Judge Nazhat Shameem said if a presentation is being made to a public official for a gain, then it is a benefit.

Under the Decree, a public official commits an indictable offence if the public official without lawful authority or reasonable excuse asks for a benefit for himself, herself or another person, or receives or obtains a benefit for himself or another person.

It stated that the public official does so with the intention that the exercise of the official's duties as a public official will be influenced.

The penalty for this offence is ten years imprisonment.