In Samarahan, two bank personnel claim trial to cheating woman of RM300,000 in non-existent bank investment scheme

KOTA SAMARAHAN (Dec 11): Two staff members of a bank have pleaded not guilty to deceiving a woman of RM300,000 in a non-existent bank investment scheme.

The two accused, aged 31 and 41, appeared before Magistrate Shafiza Abdul Razak Tready who released them on undeposited RM10,000 bail in two sureties each before fixing Jan 26 next year for pre-trial case management.

The two accused were charged with committing the cheating offence at a branch of the bank here on Aug 19 this year.

The offence under Section 420 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34, is punishable with up to 10 years’ imprisonment and caning and/or a fine, upon conviction.

The magistrate also ordered that they surrender their passports and report to the nearest police station every week.

Deputy public prosecutor Mohd Fadzri Azham Zainudin had earlier requested RM500,000 cash bail in two sureties for both accused.

He submitted that they would be further charged under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLA) and argued there was a real risk they might attempt to abscond if the sum was too low.

Mohd Fadzru also submitted that the bail sum is to act as a deterrent against flight risk and that the case is of public interest.

However, counsel for the 31-year-old first accused Datuk Shankar Ram Asnani counter-argued that such a bail sum would effectively prejudge his client and seemed to be a tactic to put her behind bars.

Khairil Azmi Mohd Hasbie, counsel for the 41-year-old second accused, also said there is no reason for his client to abscond as he resides in Kuching and is a family man with no previous conviction.

On Wednesday, the 31-year-old first accused was charged with a similar offence involving RM16,000 in the Kuching Magistrates’ Court, where she also claimed trial.

So far, four personnel of the bank – two women and two men – have been charged with cheating in the non-existent investment scheme case.

Related story: Three bank officers claim trial to cheating Kuching woman of RM16,000 with non-existent investment product (Video)