Eight sentenced to 18 months for love scam offences

KUCHING: Eight individuals, including five Indonesian men and three Malaysians, were on Tuesday (Sept 8) sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to involvement in an online “Love Scam” syndicate.

The accused comprised five Indonesian men, two Malaysian men and a Malaysian woman.

They pleaded guilty before Magistrate Leona Dominic Mojiliu to a charge under Section 120B(1) of the Penal Code, read together with Section 417 of the same code.

The court heard that the accused were involved in a criminal conspiracy linked to an online Love Scam operation, with investigations revealing communications with potential victims.

Police had arrested the eight during a raid at a house at near Jalan Song, Lorong 6C here at about 11pm on Sept 1.

The raid, conducted by police from the Kuching district, also led to the seizure of four laptops, four computer mice, four laptop chargers and four mobile phones.

Investigations found that the group had allegedly been working together to carry out Love Scam activities by posing as women and sending messages to individuals believed to be potential victims.

In a separate matter, five of the Indonesian nationals also faced immigration offences.

One of them, 27-year-old Anas Wahyudi, was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment and two strokes of the cane after pleading guilty to entering Malaysia without a valid pass, under Section 6(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.

Another accused, Rudianto, was sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment for remaining in Malaysia after the expiry of his social visit pass, under Section 15(1)(c) of the same Act.

The court also sentenced Toga Salleh Harahap and Adi Putra to three months’ imprisonment each for immigration offences, while Werly was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment and two strokes of the cane.

The Indonesian nationals were ordered to be referred to the Immigration Department upon completion of their respective sentences.

Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Fauzulutfi Suriani appeared for the prosecution in the Magistrate’s Court matter, while deputy public prosecutor Aiman Zarith represented the prosecution in the immigration cases. All eight accused were unrepresented.