Man charged with cheating to get honorary Rela rank By Safrah Mat Salleh

KOTA KINABALU: A 46year-old man was charged at the Sessions Court here with cheating to get an honorary Rela rank.

Abd Halim Yahya, who appeared before judge Azreena Aziz, pleaded not guilty to a charge under Section 420 of the Penal Code, which carries a jail term of up to 10 years and whipping and also liable to a fine, upon conviction.

He was accused of cheating Noorkhan Mulkianman Khan, 57, to get the honorary Rela rank and induced him to deposit RM24,000 into his CIMB account at AmBank Plaza Shell here at 11.44am on February 14.

The court fixed November 1-2 this year for trial and released the accused on RM10,000 bail with two local sureties, pending disposal of the case.

Deputy public prosecutor Husna Abdul Halim acted for the prosecution while counsel Luke Ressa Balang represented the accused.

Three Filipinos were sentenced to four months’ jail each by the same Sessions Court here yesterday for entering the state illegally.

Judge Azreena Aziz imposed the sentence on Saibudin Alali, 53, Jaim Sasani, 30, and Najar Amid, 35, after they pleaded guilty to each of their charges under Section 6 (1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.

The indictment provides for a maximum fine of RM10,000 or a jail term of up to five years, or both, and also liable to whipping of not more than six strokes of the cane, upon conviction.

The accused persons were caught during a recent operation here.

Jaim and Najar were also ordered to be whipped once while Saibudin was spared due to his age.