Three foreign women jailed for ‘bomoh’ scam
KUCHING: Three foreign women were each sentenced to 15 months in prison by the Magistrate’s Court here yesterday for cheating a local woman of more than RM5,000 in cash as well as jewellery.
Chinese nationals Li Ruiwen, 50, and Li Jinrong, 39, and Agustini, 27, from Indonesia, pleaded guilty to the charge framed against them under Section 420 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34 of the same code.
They appeared before Magistrate Zubaidah Sharkawi who ordered their custodial sentence to take effect immediately.
The three were also ordered to be referred to the Immigration Department for deportation upon the completion of their custodial sentence.
They admitted to have dishonestly induced the 57-yearold victim on Dec 11 at Siburan Bazaar at 9.10am, to deliver RM5,091.94 in cash, three gold rings, a pair of gold earrings, and one gold necklace with four attached lockets.
The complainant lodged a police report claiming she had been cheated by four women who claimed to be ‘bomoh’ (traditional healers).
Five persons were initially detained by the police following the report lodged. One suspect was released after the expiry of the remand order yesterday and was not charged.
The fifth suspect, Indonesian national Fery, 43, was charged together with the three accused but chose to claim trial.
The court set Feb 8 next year for trial and ordered Fery to be further remanded in prison pending the completion of the case after denying him bail.
Fery is also facing a charge under Section 420 of the Penal Code, which provides an imprisonment term of up to 10 years and whipping, and also liable to a fine, upon conviction.
ASP Rogayah Rosli, who prosecuted the case, urged the court to impose a deterrent sentence against the three women.
All the accused were unrepresented.