Two Nigerians, local woman claim trial to cheating US citizen
IPOH: Two Nigerian male students and a local woman pleaded not guilty in the magistrate’s court here yesterday to a charge of cheating a United States citizen, involving losses of more than RM60,000 in December.
Eze Chimizie Kingsley, 30, and Anayo Apakabi, 28, students of a private institution of higher learning in Kuala Lumpur and Mazni Marzuki, 46, a hotel housekeeping staff, claimed trial after the charge against them was read out before magistrate Nurul Hafizah Mohammad Fauzi.
All three were jointly charged with cheating Law Ah Fook, from Ipoh, into believing that he would receive a non-existent package that prompted him to hand over cash amounting to RM62,034.
They allegedly committed the offence at No. 13, Jalan 4, Housing Trust here at 12.16pm on Dec 13.
They were charged under Section 420 of the Penal Code read together with Section 34 of the Act, which carries a maximum imprisonment of 10 years and whipping (for men) and also liable to a fine.
Deputy public prosecutor Fadhli Nurul Qistini Qamar L Abrar appeared for the prosecution while Kingsley and Apakabi were represented by counsel Miza Hiryani Zakaria and Mazni by Matthews Jude.
Nurul Hafizah then allowed RM4,000 bail with one surety for Mazni while the two Nigerian men were not allowed bail.
Meanwhile, Kingsley and Apakabi were also charged in the same court with overstaying in the country after their student passes expired on May 20, 2016 and June 3, 2017 respectively.
The two were charged with committing the offence at the Commercial Crime Investigation Division at the Ipoh district police head-quarters at 1.25pm on Dec 22.
They were charged under Section 15 (1) (c) of the Immigration Act 1959/1963 (Act 155) and punishable under Section 15 (4) of the Act, that carries a fine of up to RM10,000 or maximum imprisonment up to five years or both.
The court fixed Feb 12 for mention for all the cases. – Bernama