Datuk Seri arrested over death certificate scam

KUALA LUMPUR: A Datuk Seri and his accomplice were arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission on Monday for allegedly fleecing a 58-year-old woman into paying RM125,000 to have her husband's death certificate altered.
The 46-year-old old Datuk Seri, who was a former special officer to a member of royalty, was arrested by MACC personnel at 11am yesterday.
His 59-year-old accomplice who is self-employed was detained a day earlier.
Sources said the duo had allegedly offered to assist the woman in making changes to erroneous entries in her husband's death certificate.
The suspects had apparently demanded for RM125,000 from the victim, claiming the funds were to pay off an officer at the National Registration Department (NRD) at Putrajaya.
The MACC also froze RM142,500 and RM30,000 found in the accounts of the Datuk Seri and his accomplice respectively.
Both men are in MACC's custody under a five-day remand order.
When contacted, MACC deputy chief commissioner Datuk Azam Baki confirmed the arrests but declined further comment.