Contractors hauled back to court for fresh cheating charges
KUALA LUMPUR: Two contractors were hauled back to the Sessions Court for a second time in a week to face fresh charges for cheating a Tamil vernacular school of RM875,000.
Mohd Syafeeq Mohd, 40, and Cheah Seng Nam, 48, were today charged under Section 420 of the Penal Code read together with Section 34 under the same code by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
The latest charge comes after the duo had pleaded not guilty to cheating two Tamil vernacular schools of more than RM1 million at the Shah Alam Sessions Court last Wednesday (Sept 13).
Today, the duo were charged with a common intention to deceive the management board of SJKT Ladang Semenyih into believing that they were contractors appointed by the Education Ministry.
They had cheated the school by asking for RM875,000 to facilitate the maintenance, upgrading and repair works at the school.
They committed the offence at the RHB Bank branch at Taman Midah, Kuala Lumpur from Aug 27 to Oct 8, 2020.
The offence carries a jail term of less than a year and a maximum of 10 years, caning and a fine upon conviction.
The duo pleaded not guilty before Sessions Court judge Rozina Ayob.
MACC prosecuting officer Mohd Alif Shaharuzaman asked for bail of RM50,000 with one surety each.
As additional conditions, Alif said their passports are to be impounded and they must report to the Selangor MACC office on the first week of the month.
Counsel Ridha Abdah Subri, who represented Syafeeq and Cheah, asked for a lower bail of RM12,000 each as they both had given their cooperation thoroughout the investigations.
He also told the court that Syafeeq was operating a a small beverage business, while Cheah has a child and recently became a widower.
"Cheah is a single father with a seven-year-old child. His wife died 28 days ago after suffering from cancer for seven years.
"He is now jobless and trying to adjust himself with his wife not around and to manage his household.
"I have no objections to the additional conditions as both my clients had been charged at the Shah Alam court for the same offence and their passports have been handed over to the court," he said.
Rozina then set bail at RM20,000 with one surety each and for the duo to report to the Selangor MACC office on the first week of the month.
She also ordered for a blacklist notice for overseas travel for both men to be issued to the Immigration Department.
She fixed Oct 25 for mention.
Sumber: New Straits Times
