KUALA LUMPUR: Businessman Wong Soo Keong, 43, was jailed 12 months and fined RM50,000 (S$20,775) in default 12 months' jail for bribing a police officer.

He was found guilty of giving a RM10,000 bribe to Asst Supt Rohan Shah Ahmad as an inducement to refrain from taking legal action against him over a raid, seizure and arrest of 11 foreign women from Indonesia and China.

The women are suspected to be involved in prostitution.

ASP Rohan, from Bukit Aman's criminal investigation department, had led the police raid on premises in Wisma Indah in Jalan Tun Razak.

Wong, who is involved in restaurants and renovations, committed the offence at another location in Wisma Indah in Cheras at 1.15am on Dec 21, 2005.

In convicting him yesterday, Sessions Court judge Rosbiahanin Arifin said the defence had failed to raise any doubt over the prosecution's case.

In mitigation, counsel Liang Chong Beng said Wong, who studied only up to Year Six, had to support a wife and two school-going sons, and that he was a first offender and remorseful of his actions.

Liang asked the court to give Wong a chance to turn over a new leaf.

In pressing for a deterrent sentence, DPP Ng Siew Wee said the court had to send a clear message to the public that it supported the Government's intention to curb corruption.

The judge denied Liang's application for a stay of execution pending appeal and ordered Wong to start his jail term from yesterday.