Businessman Zhang appeals his $1.2m fraud case
A56-year-old businessman, who was handed a suspended jail sentence for multiple counts of fraud, has appealed his case.
Aidong Zhang’s matter was called before Judge Justice Chandana Prematilaka at the Fiji Court of Appeal yesterday.
Zhang was convicted of one count of obtaining property by deception and a count of money laundering of $1.2 million. Between June 1, 2014 and January 31, 2016, Zhang had deceptively obtained property and engaged directly or indirectly in money laundering in the amount of FJD$1,240,740.74. He had obtained the money by deception from the complainant who was his business partner on the pretext that a property was being sold at $5.5 million instead of its actual price of $3.3 million.
Zhang was sentenced to three years imprisonment suspended for 18 months and an additional fine of $100,000 was imposed, in default, to serve six months imprisonment.
Zhang has appealed against his conviction in the first matter.
In the second matter, the Director of Public Prosecutions has filed an appeal against the suspended sentence handed to Zhang.
Appellant lawyer Gavin
O’Driscoll told the court yesterday that the appeal was filed in time and sought 21 days to file submissions.
State lawyer Rajneel Kumar informed the court that the second matter was of State’s appeal against the sentence.
Justice Prematilaka ordered Mr O’Driscoll to file his submissions in both matters on or by August 17.
He ordered Mr Kumar to file his submissions on both matters on or by September 18.
The matter was adjourned to September 18.