SEREMBAN: A former lawyer pleaded not guilty in separate Magistrate’s Court here today to eight counts of cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property involving loses of more than RM57,000 two years ago.
In the court before Magistrate V. Vanita, N. G. Annie Maria, 60, pleaded not guilty to five charges with cheating one Jude Ignatius Lazaroo, 59, over withdrawal of RM4.36 million in commission from Bank Negara .
Annie Maria was alleged to have promised Lazaroo a certain amount of money from the commission, prompting her to bank in RM17,400 into the bank account belonging to the accused, which Lazaroo would not have done had she known that there was no such commission.
The remaining three charges were read out before Magistrate Mahyun Yusof, where on all the charges, Annie Maria was charged with cheating the same woman, who was deceived into depositing a total of RM39,900 into the same bank account for the same purpose.
All the offences were allegedly committed at Wisma TNB, No 19, Jalan Timur, Petaling Jaya, Selangor and No 31 Off Persiaran Seremban 3, Seremban, between Feb 9, 2018 and Feb 22, 2019.
All the charges were framed under Section 420 of the Penal Code, which provides an imprisonment for up to 10 years and with whipping and is also liable to fine, if found guilty.
Vanita allowed her bail of RM11,000 in one surety for all five charges where Mahyun set bail at RM15,000 in one surety for the three charges.
Both courts set Oct 1 for mention for submission of documents.
Lawyer M. Gobinathan represented Annie Maria, while the prosecution in both cases were conducted by deputy public prosecutor Hafizah Zainol in the court before Mahyun, and prosecuting officer L. Rathna in the court before Vanita. — Bernama
