KUCHING: A 33-year-old man was fined RM500 in default one month’s imprisonment by the Magistrates’ Court here today for having RM15,154 in his bank account which was reasonably suspected to have been unlawfully obtained.
Mohd Hafiq Abdul Rahman pleaded guilty to the charge before Magistrate Nursyaheeqa Nazwa Radzali.
He was charged under Section 37(1) of the Minor Offences Ordinance, Sarawak (Chapter 56), which carries a maximum fine of RM500 and up to three months’ imprisonment upon conviction.
The court heard that on August 6, 2024, at a bank near RH Plaza here, Hafiq was found to have RM15,154 in his Hong Leong Bank account.
According to the facts of the case, the complainant received calls from several telephone numbers from individuals claiming that he was involved in a case.
The caller then told the complainant that he could clear his name by making payments into a bank account provided by the suspects.
The complainant subsequently made two payments through an automated teller machine (ATM) into Hafiq’s Hong Leong Bank account.
On August 6, 2024, the complainant deposited RM9,097 into the account, followed by another RM6,057 the following day.
The total amount transferred was RM15,154.
The complainant later realised that he had been deceived and lodged a police report.
Police investigations found that Hafiq was the registered owner of the Hong Leong Bank account and that the account had received the two transactions from the complainant on August 6 and 7, 2024.
The court was told that the accused had indirectly become involved in the transactions involving the RM15,154 through his own bank account without any lawful purpose.
Deputy Public Prosecutor, Muhammad Aidil Akmal Sharidan, prosecuted, while Hafiq was unrepresented.
