KUALA LUMPUR: The Sessions Court here today sentenced a businessman to four years in prison after he was found guilty of deceiving the legal manager of Jakel Trading Sdn Bhd, causing him to incur a loss of RM400,000, five years ago.

Judge Kamarudin Kamsun imposed the sentence after concluding that the defence had failed to raise a reasonable doubt in the case of Mohamed Noor Mohamed Amin, 51, at the end of its case.

“....the prosecution succeeded in proving the case beyond reasonable doubt. Therefore, the accused is found guilty and convicted of the charges against him,“ said the judge.

The court handed down a three-year term for the first charge and a four-year term for the second and third charges, to be served concurrently, commencing today.

However, the court allowed the request by the accused’s lawyer Mohamed Haniff Khatri Abdulla, to stay the sentence pending an appeal in the High Court, with his bail increased from RM50,000 to RM80,000.

Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Muhammad Aiman Azahan requested an appropriate sentence, considering the seriousness of the offence, which involved significant financial losses.

Meanwhile, Mohamed Haniff Khatri sought a fine as punishment, citing his client’s dependent family and that he had a tumor.

Mohamed Noor was accused of defrauding Aiman Dazuki, the legal manager of Jakel Trading, aged 34, by coaxing him into investing in shares of a fictitious company, resulting in the company transferring RM400,000, a sum the victim would not have relinquished without being misled.

The offences were committed at the Jakel shopping centre on Jalan Munshi Abdullah, Dang Wangi here, between April 15 and June 12, 2019.

He was charged under Section 420 of the Penal Code, which is punishable by imprisonment of between one and ten years, whipping, and liable to a fine.

On Nov 8, 2023, Mohamed Noor was ordered to defend himself against the three charges.

A total of 17 prosecution witnesses and five defense witnesses, including the accused, testified during the trial.