10 telephone operators charged in connection with Macau scam

KAMPAR: Ten men, all working as telephone operators with a debt collection company in the federal capital, were charged at the magistrates’ court here yesterday with two counts of deceiving an individual of RM26,000 in a Macau scam last week.

They are Liaw Wee Soon, 28; Lee Kian Yew, 32; Kenny Ling Leong Chuong, 27; Ooi Chin Leng, 31; Tee Kwee Ming, 19; Tan Ban Yap, 30; Phang Jun Wei, 19, Calvin Chan Wai Lam, 24; Sim Wei Long, 18, and Dickson Chok Kim Leong, 19.

All of them pleaded not guilty to the charges which were read separately before Magistrate Nur Faizah Muhamad Saleh.

On the first charge, they were alleged to have deceived one Then Kim Yeem, 65, to hand over RM23,000 in cash at Ambank Kampar, here at 12.45pm on June 5.

They were also charged with deceiving Then to hand over another RM3,000 at Ambank Kampar, here at 1.31pm on the same day.

The charge, under Section 420 of the Penal Code and punishable under Section 120B(1) of the same law, provides a maximum jail term of 10 years and whipping and fine, upon conviction.

All of them were represented by counsel Hennie Soraya Hanafi from the National Legal Aid Foundation, while deputy public prosecutor Kenneth Oon prosecuted.

Nur Faizah allowed all the accused bail of RM8,000 each for the first charge and RM6,000 each for the second charge.

The court set July 4 for mention. — Bernama