Former Negeri Sembilan player fined RM8,000 for falsifying documents
SEREMBAN: Former Negeri Sembilan defender Matheus Fernandes Vila Real was fined RM8,000 in default 10 months’ jail by the Sessions Court here yesterday after pleading guilty to submitting false documents for a money transfer application in September.
Matheus, 28, who is from Brazil, was alleged to have cheated Nur Farlida Asro Ramzi Sulaiman, 33, a representative of CIMB Bank in Seremban, by deceiving her that the Remittance Applications Form and fake invoices for the purchase of 5,825 units of ‘ dye ink’ amounting to RM48,879.91 dated Sept 23 in the name of Wind Pacific Consulting Ltd was a true document for the approval of the online money transfer.
The offence, allegedly committed at CIMB Bank Seremban on Sept 30, 2020, was charged under Section 417 of the Penal Code, which provides for a maximum jail term of five years, or a fine, or both.
The charge was read out before Judge Madihah Harullah by a court interpreter in Portuguese.
The prosecution was handled by Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) DPP Mohamad Azriff Firdaus Mohamad Ali while Matheus was not represented.
Earlier, during mitigation, the accused said he regretted the act and apologised for the fact he did not understand the laws and procedures of money transfer in this country, besides stating that the transfer was to support his family in Brazil.
“I do understand that my contract with the club (Negeri Sembilan Football Association) has expired and I don’t have any job or any source of income. I hope this case will be solved and I can go back to Brazil,” said the player who wore a grey hoodie. He then paid the fine. Matheus, who has been with the Negeri Sembilan squad since 2019, previously played with several football clubs in his home country.