Eight Chinese nationals face charges for non-existent investment fraud and overstaying in Temerloh, with bail set at RM5,000 each and a case mention scheduled for January.
TEMERLOH: Eight Chinese nationals pleaded not guilty at the Magistrate’s Court here today to charges of engaging in a non-existent investment fraud last month.
The group, comprising six men and two women, entered their pleas after the charges were read out in Mandarin before Magistrate Tan Chiew King.
All eight are jointly charged with committing the fraud at a hotel in Bera at 2.15 pm on Nov 27.
The charge was brought under Section 120B(2) of the Penal Code, which carries imprisonment of up to six months, or a fine, or both, upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Siti Sarah Aqilah Lokman had proposed bail of RM10,000 with two local sureties for each accused.
The court subsequently granted bail of RM5,000 with one surety for each accused instead.
All eight accused were represented by lawyer Carenjit Kaur Mann.
At the same court, the eight individuals also pleaded not guilty to a separate charge of remaining in the country after the expiry of their visit passes.
They were charged under Section 15(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63, which carries a fine of not less than RM10,000, or imprisonment of up to five years, or both.
The court fixed Jan 5 for the mention of both cases, pending the handing over of documents.
Previously, the media reported that police had detained the eight suspects for an online investment fraud scheme.
They were believed to have deceived predominantly fellow Chinese nationals.
