KUCHING: An air conditioning technician was fined a total of RM41,500 in default 166 weeks jail for illegally possessing RM601,899.60 in a company’s account meant for online investment fraud activities.
Goh Kah Loon, 26, from Kajang, Selangor, pleaded guilty to 83 charges under Section 37(1) of the Sarawak Minor Offences Ordinance 1958, before Magistrate Zubaidah Sharkawi today (June 27).
He was accused of receiving the money totalling RM601,899.60 from a bank in 83 transactions between January 2020 and February 2020.
Zubaidah fined him RM500 or two weeks’ imprisonment for each of the 83 charges.
Based on the facts of the case, the complainant and his brother had deposited a sum of money in stages from January 28, 2020, until February 2020 into an account under the name of an air conditioning service company, ‘AN1 Aircond Service,’ after being attracted by an investment advertisement.
The complainant learned about the investment from a Chinese man named Shi Hai, who resided in Peninsular Malaysia.
The complainant had contacted Shi Hai through a social media website on December 29, 2019, expressing interest in making investments in a website called Genting Highland.
After seeing substantial returns from the investment, the complainant also invited two more of his younger brothers to invest in the scheme.
When there was an increase in the returns from the investment, the complainant wanted to withdraw the money, but was advised by Shi Hai not to take out the money yet.
Unable to withdraw the money, the complainant felt deceived after attempts to contact Shi Hai failed, although his profile was still visible on the WhatsApp application.
A police report was made, leading to the arrest of the accused on September 4, 2020.
The investigation revealed that the accused was the owner of the account in question and had received the money unlawfully amounting to RM601,899.60.
Inspector Nur Syafiqa Nyaie Ilin prosecuted, while the accused was not represented by counsel.
