Unemployed Man Gets 12 Months’ Jail, Whipping For Cheating

PUTRAJAYA, Oct 10 (Bernama) -- An unemployed man was sentenced to 12 months in prison and one stroke of the cane by the Magistrate’s Court here today for cheating a man in obtaining approval for a personal loan from a bank.

Magistrate Irza Zulaikha Rohanuddin meted out the sentences on Muhammad Nabilq Saparuddin, 34, after he pleaded guilty.

The father of five was charged with cheating Mohd Din Hafeez Efandi, 38, by duping him into handing over RM1,500 in cash and depositing RM4,000 into the accused’s bank account.

He was accused of committing the offence at a shopping centre here between 5 pm on July 26, 2015, and 12 pm on July 27, 2015. The charge, framed under Section 420 of the Penal Code, carries a minimum jail term of one year and a maximum of 10 years, and whipping, and is also liable to a fine, if convicted.

According to the facts of the case, Mohd Din Hafeez, a clerk of a private company, was dealing with the accused for the approval of a personal loan amounting to RM250,000.

After an agreement was reached, the victim handed over RM1,500 in cash and transferred RM4,000 into a bank account belonging to the accused, totalling RM5,500. The victim was told that the loan approval process would take 21 working days, but after the period lapsed, the loan amount was never received.

Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Faizah Khalilah Zaberi urged the court to impose a proportionate sentence as a lesson to the accused and the public. However, Muhammad Nabilq appealed for a lighter sentence on health grounds.

-- BERNAMA