Land scam: Datuk charged

KUALA LUMPUR: Three men including a "Datuk" were charged at the sessions court in Selayang yesterday for allegedly deceiving nine individuals over payments on land transfers worth amounting to almost RM700,000 six years ago.
The trio, Datuk Nor Hasnal Hashmi, 49, Sayyid Walid Hasuana, 31, and Mohd Rozali Rajiei, 48, pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to them before judge Rasyihah Ghazali.
Both Nor Hasnal and Sayyid Walid faced five charges of deceiving five individuals to make them believe that they were to transfer land plots for the construction of five houses, which led the five them to give RM455,512 to Masgenuine Alliance Holdings Sdn Bhd as payment for the non-existent land transfer.
Nor Hasnal also faced four charges for committing the same offence on four others that had led them to handover RM689,181 to Darul Hebat Holdings Sdn Bhd as payment for the non-existent land transfer.
The offences were allegedly committed in Bandar Baru Selayang, Gombak between Jan 16, 2012, and Nov 6, 2015.
Rasyihah allowed Nor Hasnal a bail of RM72,000, Sayyid Walid RM48,000, while Mohd Rozal, RM26,000, with one surety respectively.
They also had to hand over their passports to the court, report themselves to the police station twice a month, and warned not to harass the victims and their families.
The suspects were charged under Section 420 of the Penal Code read together with Section 34 of the same code which provides a maximum jail sentence of ten years, whipping and fine.
Deputy public prosecutor Rozana Husin had earlier proposed a bail of RM230,000 to Nor Hasnal, RM130,000 for Sayyid Walid and RM100,000 for Mohd Rozali.
However, lawyers Datuk Hasnal Rezua Merican and Saleh Ahmad who represented the accused pleaded for the amount to be reduced.
Rasyihah allowed Nor Hasnal a bail of RM72,000, Sayyid Walid RM48,000, while Mohd Rozal, RM26,000, with one surety respectively.
The court also set additional conditions for all of the accused to hand over their passports to the court, report themselves to the police station twice a month, and warned not to harass the victims and their families.
The case is set for re-mention on May 17.