AMPANG - Ten men were fined a maximum RM1,000 each by the magistrate’s court, here, today for failing to explain about a RM3.14 million in their bank accounts.
The money purportedly belonged to a private teacher.
Magistrate Normaizan Rahim handed down the fine after all of them pleaded guilty to 10 counts.
The accused were contractors Mohamad Saifuddin Ismail, 29, and S Vikneswaran, 29, truck driver Mohammad Anas Kamarudin, 31, security guards Muhammad Ariff Ahmad Tajuddin, 29, and Mohd Hafiz Kamis, 38, technician Muhamad Helmi Ahmad, 39, fisherman Mohd Syukur Maula Muhamad Desa, 32, trader Muhammad Ikhwan Iswandy Ramli, 38, construction site supervisor Khairul Mizan Mohamad Johari, 31, and Mohd Nizam Mat Jasat, 51.
The court also ordered them to serve three months in jail if they fail to pay the fine.
According to the charge sheets, they had failed to provide satisfactory explanation on how the RM3,144,500 belonging to a 31- year old private teacher had ended up in their bank accounts.
The offences were committed at two banks in Ampang between Feb 20 and April 4, this year.
The charges framed under Section 29 (1) of the Minor Offences Act 1955, carries a maximum RM1,000 fine or an imprisonment of up to a year, upon conviction.
According to the facts of the case, the victim had received a phone call from a man (suspect) who introduced himself as the chief tax operating officer from the Inland Revenue Board (IRB).
The victim was then told that he had tax arrears for 15 months amounting to RM17,600.76 on Trillion Star Enterprise, a company registered under his name.
Subsequently, the victim was asked to open a new bank account before passing all of his bank details to the suspect.
Investigations showed that the victim’s money was transferred to all the accused.
During the proceedings, National Legal Aid Foundation counsel Mohd Faiz Fahmy Abdul Razak who represented all the accused pleaded for the court to only impose a fine on grounds that his clients have families to care for.
"In this case, my clients were also victims as they were unaware that the bank accounts were being used by a third party.
"They did not benefit from the losses incurred by the victim,” he said.
However, deputy public prosecutors (DPPs) Annur Athirah Amran and Nurul Ameera Sam urged for a deterrent sentence saying that the public interest factor exceeds the personal interest of the accused.
"As an account holder, the accused needs to be responsible and aware of their transactions, especially when it involves a big amount.
"The court should take into account the frequency of such cases where almost every day such cases are brought to court, besides the losses suffered by victims,” the DPPs said.