KUCHING: A 31-year-old woman was fined RM500, in default one month imprisonment, by the Magistrates’ Court here today for possessing RM1,700 believed to have been unlawfully obtained, and failing to provide a satisfactory explanation for the money.
Magistrate Leona Dominic Mojiliu imposed the fine on Khaw Peg Gie after pleaded guilty to the charge under Section 37(1) of the Minor Offences Ordinance Sarawak (Chapter 56).
Section 37(1) of the Minor Offences Ordinance Sarawak (Chapter 56) provides for a penalty of up to three months’ imprisonment and a fine of RM500 upon conviction.
According to the charge, Khaw, as the owner of a CIMB Bank account, was found to have in her possession RM1,700 that had been unlawfully obtained at the security control room of a hotel near Jalan Datuk Tawi Sli at about 1:53 pm on April 8, 2022.
Based on the facts of the case, the complainant received a phone call on April 8, 2022, from a woman claiming to be an officer from the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) in Kuantan, Pahang.
The caller alleged that the complainant had outstanding tax arrears amounting to RM38,500.90, and claimed the complainant was listed as a director of a company he had no knowledge of.
The call was later transferred to an individual purportedly from the police, who falsely informed the complainant that he was involved in money laundering activities amounting to RM7.3 million and a drug case involving 100kg of narcotics.
The complainant was then persuaded to provide access to his online banking account and transaction authorisation code (TAC) under the pretext of assisting in an investigation.
The following day, the complainant checked his AmBank account and discovered that RM1,700 had been transferred without his authorisation to a CIMB account registered under Khaw’s name.
He subsequently lodged a police report, prompting an investigation.
Investigations revealed that the RM1,700 was deposited into Khaw’s CIMB account.
Police identified her as the account holder and found that she was unable to provide a reasonable explanation regarding the money.
It was also understood that the accused became involved in the offence after being attracted by an online job offer.
The prosecution was conducted by Deputy Public Prosecutor, Ahmad Fauzulutfi Suriani, while the accused was unrepresented.
