Married couple, friend charged with possession of counterfeit currency

KUALA LUMPUR: A married couple and a friend were charged in the Ampang magistrate's court here today with possession of 3,363 pieces of counterfeit currency, totaling US$257,590 (RM1.01 million) last year.
Fruit trader Kamal Ishak, 58, his wife, Ramalah Zakaria, 50, and a friend, Shahar Abd Karim, 76, who is a used-car importer, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge before Magistrate Haslinda A.Raof.
They were jointly charged with possession of 2,296 pieces of counterfeit US$100 note; 285 pieces of US$50 note; 592 pieces of US$20 note and 190 pieces of US$10 note at a house in Sinaran Ukays Residen, Bukit Antarabangsa, Ampang, here at 3.30 am on June 9, 2017.
They were charged under Section 489C of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34 of the same law, and faced an imprisonment for up to 10 years, if found guilty.
The court allowed them bail of RM5,000 in one surety each and fixed March 14 for the mention.
Deputy public prosecutor Norhashimah Hashim prosecuted, while Kamal and Ramalah , who are from Raub, Kuantan, as well as Shahar, from Nilai, Negri Sembilan, were unrepresented. — Bernama