WOMAN CHARGED OVER ‘HAJ PACKAGE’
She faces 7 counts of taking RM33,800 from three women
A44-YEAR-OLD woman who was charged with dishonest concealment of money involving a haj package was shocked to see one of her alleged victims in court yesterday.
Rashimah Lili Mohamed Ali tried to talk to the victim, a woman whom she called “mak” (mum) after the proceedings, asking for her forgiveness and promised to pay back the money.
The woman, who declined to be named, said outside the court that Rashimah had offered her a haj package for RM15,000 earlier this month.
“I did not know her (Rashimah) but she approached me and said she had a slot for a haj package.
“I felt something was amiss when I failed to contact her after I deposited RM15,000 into her bank account.
“I decided to lodge a police report,” she said.
The woman, however, said she was not one of the three victims mentioned in the charge sheet.
During the proceedings, Rashimah continuously turned to the public gallery, looking for her “mak” who sat in the front row with her husband.
Rashimah was charged in two Ampang magistrate’s courts with seven counts of dishonest concealment of money totalling RM33,800, belonging to Siti Fatimah Ahmad, 60, Daliah Jalil, and Jamilah Johar, both 63, in her (Rashimah’s) Bank Islam account despite knowing that the money was not hers.
The mother of three was calm when the charges were read to her before magistrates Mohamad Firdaus Sadina Ali and Haslinda A. Raof.
She allegedly committed the offences at Bank Islam Taman Melawati, Ampang Jaya, and Bank Islam Pandan Prima between March 24 and May 16.
Rashimah was charged under Section 424 of the Penal Code which carries a maximum five years’ imprisonment or a fine, or both, upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutors Norhashimah Hashim and Raihanah Abd Razak urged the courts to set bail at RM10,000 with one surety on each charge.
However, Rashimah who was unrepresented pleaded for a minimum bail, saying she was jobless and suffered from diabetes. The courts set bail at RM31,000 with one surety for all charges and fixed July 31 for mention.