Teenager pleads guilty to assisting illegal money lender

MIRI: A teenage boy pleaded guilty in the Juvenile Court yesterday to a charge of assisting an illegal money lender.

The court later set Aug 8 to hear the boy's probationary report which will be presented by an advisory officer from the Welfare Department.

The juvenile was allowed out on a RM1,000-bail with one surety who must be a relative, while waiting for the trial date.

The 17-year-old juvenile from Kulai, Johor was charged under Section 29AA (1) of the Money Lenders Act, 1951, and Section 34 of the Penal Code.

He could be jailed for up to two years or a fine of RM20,000 or both on conviction.

Based on facts of the case, the juvenile was found to have assisted an unlicensed money lender at 12.30pm on July 9 in front of a bank in Pelita Commercial Centre here.

Magistrate Zuraini Ali Musa presided.

Insp Mohd Khairi Mohd Noor was the prosecuting officer while the juvenile was unrepresented.