Ex-Umno Youth leader jailed 3 years for cheating
V Anbalagan
-January 3, 2019 3:23 PM
FMT
PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal today sentenced a businessman to three years’ jail after dismissing his appeal against a conviction for cheating a company managing director of RM1 million.
A three-member bench chaired by Mohtarudin Baki said they found no merit to set aside the conviction of Mohd Mustafa Mohd Khalid, a former Pahang Umno Youth chief.
However, the panel, whose other members were Rhodzariah Bujang and Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah, set aside Mustafa’s eight-year jail term and RM300,000 fine imposed by the High Court last year.
The bench reinstated the three-year imprisonment term imposed by the Sessions Court. He began his jail term today.
Mustafa, 56, was found guilty by the Sessions Court on Feb 19 last year of cheating Kamaludin Janis, the managing director of Syarikat MN Resource Sdn Bhd, of RM1 million.
He committed the offence by getting Kamaludin to believe that he (Mustafa) had the letter of intent (which was not genuine) from the finance ministry, dated July 6, 2009, for a proposal to supply scanner machines to the Royal Malaysian Customs Department for rental.
The offence took place at Hotel Malaya, in Kuala Lumpur in July 2009.
Counsel Hariharan Tara Singh, who represented Mustafa, said three prosecution witnesses, including Kamaludin, were accomplices to the crime.
“The three should have been charged, and as such the court should treat their evidence against the appellant with caution,” he said.
Deputy public prosecutor Hamdan Hamzah said it was revealed during trial that Kamaludin appointed a consultant, Amrul Nizam Anwar, to find a political link to get the contract valued at RM12 million.
He said Amrul had, during trial, testified that the appellant was close to Umno as he was a former state Umno Youth leader.
Hamdan also submitted that the appellant was close to Najib Razak, who was then deputy prime minister and finance minister.
PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal today sentenced a businessman to three years’ jail after dismissing his appeal against a conviction for cheating a company managing director of RM1 million.A three-member bench chaired by Mohtarudin Baki said they found no merit to set aside the conviction of Mohd Mustafa Mohd Khalid, a former Pahang Umno Youth chief.
However, the panel, whose other members were Rhodzariah Bujang and Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah, set aside Mustafa’s eight-year jail term and RM300,000 fine imposed by the High Court last year.
The bench reinstated the three-year imprisonment term imposed by the Sessions Court. He began his jail term today.
Mustafa, 56, was found guilty by the Sessions Court on Feb 19 last year of cheating Kamaludin Janis, the managing director of Syarikat MN Resource Sdn Bhd, of RM1 million.
He committed the offence by getting Kamaludin to believe that he (Mustafa) had the letter of intent (which was not genuine) from the finance ministry, dated July 6, 2009, for a proposal to supply scanner machines to the Royal Malaysian Customs Department for rental.
The offence took place at Hotel Malaya, in Kuala Lumpur in July 2009.
Counsel Hariharan Tara Singh, who represented Mustafa, said three prosecution witnesses, including Kamaludin, were accomplices to the crime.
“The three should have been charged, and as such the court should treat their evidence against the appellant with caution,” he said.
Deputy public prosecutor Hamdan Hamzah said it was revealed during trial that Kamaludin appointed a consultant, Amrul Nizam Anwar, to find a political link to get the contract valued at RM12 million.
He said Amrul had, during trial, testified that the appellant was close to Umno as he was a former state Umno Youth leader.
Hamdan also submitted that the appellant was close to Najib Razak, who was then deputy prime minister and finance minister.
