Cendol trader jailed 18 years for cheating

KUANTAN: A cendol trader was sentenced to a total of 18 months jail by two Magistrate's Courts here today for cheating more than 16 people over a food tender.
In the court before Magistrate Nordiana Abd Aziz, Mahani Mohamed, 44, was sentenced to eight years' jail and fined RM16,000, in default 16 months jail, after she pleaded guilty to 11 counts of cheating.
Mahani, from Kampung Sungai Ular here, was charged with cheating her victims, comprising food stall and food shop operators, with an offer of a food tender, which actually did not exist.
Her action prompted the victims to hand-over cash, which was deposited into her husband's bank account, and jewellery, worth more than RM20,000.
The offence was committed between Nov 24 and Dec 14 this year at several locations in the Kuantan district.
In another court, before Magistrate Nurul Naim Abdullah, Mahani pleaded guilty to 10 counts of cheating food operators, also over a food tender to supply food to workers at Kuantan Port and the Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park in Gebeng, which actually did not exist.
The offence was committed between Aug 23 and Oct 27 this year and was sentenced to 10 years' jail.
In mitigation, lawyer Nurul Syafiqah Syeba Atan, who represented Mahani, said her client, who had four children aged between 10 and 16, was the sole family breadwinner.
"She has to support 11 people, including her husband, who is not working, ailing parents, including father, who suffers from a stroke, a younger sibling with two children and a disabled brother-in-law, besides her four school-going children," she said.
Meanwhile, Mahani's husband, R.Sukri Raja Ahmat, 37, pleaded not guilty before Magistrate Nordiana to three counts of abetting his wife in cheating three food operators over the same reason, prompting them to transfer their money into two bank accounts belonging to him.
Nordiana allowed R. Sukri bail of RM15,000 in one surety and fixed Jan 24 for mention.
Another person, Hasnah Ngah, 49, from Kampung Batu Hitam, Beserah here, was also charged with nine counts of abetting Mahani in committing the offence.
Five of the charges were read out before Nordiana and the remaining before Nurul Naim.
Nurul Syafiqah Syeba, who also represented Hasnah, when asking for a lower bail, said her client was a single mother with two children, aged 13 and 20, and both still studying.
Hasnah was allowed bail by both magistrates, totalling RM39,000 in one surety for all charges, and her case was fixed for mention on Jan 24 next year.
Deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Shahrizzat Amadan prosecuted in all cases which were made under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property.
The offence carries an imprisonment for up to 10 years and with whipping, and shall also be liable to a fine if found guilty. — Bernama