KUCHING: A 27-year-old former contract employee with a ministry was fined a total of RM9,500, in default 28 months imprisonment, by the Magistrate’s Court here today for dishonestly retaining RM7,828 in stolen funds linked to an online part-time job scam.
Calvin Leo pleaded guilty to three charges under Section 411 of the Penal Code before Magistrate Nursyaheeqa Nazwa Radzali.
The charges carry a maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment, or a fine, or both.
The court fined him RM1,500 on the first charge, RM2,500 on the second and RM5,500 on the third.
In default of payment, he was ordered to serve seven months’ imprisonment for the first charge, nine months for the second and 12 months for the third.
The charges stated that Calvin had dishonestly retained RM880, RM1,998 and RM4,950 in his CIMB Bank account on August 10, 2024, knowing or having reason to believe the money was stolen property.
The money belonged to a 52-year-old complainant, who had transferred the amounts to Calvin’s account after being lured by an online part-time job offer.
According to the facts of the case, the complainant came across the job offer through WhatsApp and subsequently communicated with an unknown individual.
The complainant then was instructed to make payments using her own money as part of the purported online job, transferring RM880, RM1,998 and RM4,950 to Calvin’s account in three transactions on the same day.
After failing to receive the promised returns, the complainant lodged a police report on September 22, 2024, claiming a total loss of RM7,828.
Police investigation found that Calvin was the owner of the CIMB account and that he acknowledged the three transactions.
He was unable to provide a reasonable explanation as to how the RM7,828 had entered his account.
Investigations also found that he had provided his bank account details to a third party for personal purposes, after which the account was allegedly used by criminals to carry out the offence.
Calvin was arrested at his home in Taman Indah Landeh, Kota Padawan, on August 18.
In mitigation, Calvin said he was responsible for supporting his family, including his mother who was suffering from end-stage kidney failure.
He also said he needed to support his brother, who was still working in Peninsular Malaysia and needed assistance with his rental expenses.
Calvin expressed remorse and asked the court to impose the minimum fine, saying he was the sole breadwinner of his family.
The prosecution was handled by Inspector Siti Radhiah Abdul Rahman, while Calvin was unrepresented.
