Former lawyer charged with CBT over RM1.1m house, land deal

KUALA LUMPUR: A former property lawyer was charged in the Sessions Court here today on five counts of criminal breach of trust (CBT) in the sales and purchase of houses and land worth more than RM1.1 million.
Yap Ooi Lye, 37, pleaded not guilty to the five charges which were read separately before Judge Hasbullah Adam.
Based on the first to the fourth count, Yap who was charged as the advocate and solicitor of a firm entrusted with the control of a customer's HSBC account, allegedly committed criminal breach of trust on stakeholder sums amounting to RM953,000.
The money was for the purchase of four houses in Taman Melur, Ampang; Taman Sri Murni Off Jalan Ipoh; Jalan Pandan Indah, Taman Pandan Indah; and Jalan Metro Perdana 8, Taman Usahawan Kepong.
On the fifth count, she was charged with criminal breach of trust on stakeholder sums for the purchase of a piece of land valued at RM234,000 in Taman Bukit Mewah, Kajang.
She was charged with committing the offences at Tetuan Jenny Yap & Associates, 34-1, Jalan Metro Perdana 8, Taman Usahawan Kepong, here between Feb 11, 2014 and Sept 29, 2016.
All charges were made under Section 409 of the Penal Code which provides for a maximum jail term of 20 years with whipping and liable to a fine upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Kamarul Aris Kamalluddin proposed bail at RM400,000 for all charges as the total amount of losses in the five cases was RM1,187,000.
Counsel P.G Cyril, who represented the accused, sought bail at less than RM100,000 as his client was unemployed and she pledged to attend court and not to harass prosecution witness.
Hasbullah fixed bail at RM300,000 in one surety for all charges and the accused was ordered to surrender her passport to the court until the case is settled.
The accused did not post bail and was sent to Kajang Prison.
The court set May 15 for re-mention of the case. — Bernama