BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (Borneo Bulletin/Asia News Network): Prosecutors on Wednesday (March 15) produced three Malaysian nationals in the Magistrate’s Court to face 45 charges of conspiring to cheat Hyatt Borneo Management Services (HBMS), a service provider company for Istana Nurul Iman.
The charges, offences under Section 420 of the Penal Code read with 109 of the same, arise from investigations conducted by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).
In their findings, Perusahaan Ala Haji Bolhassan, a long-time flour supplier to HBMS supplied expired ‘Dawn’ baking flour brand to HBMS.
The ‘Dawn’ baking flour is alleged to have been a surplus from orders made by Perusahaan Ala Haji Bolhassan during the Covid-19 pandemic and the flours remained unsold until they reached their expiry dates.
After the pandemic ended and restrictions lifted, the company sold the expired flours, including to HBMS.
The ACB launched an investigation in June 2022 where they arrested Perusahaan Ala Haji Bolhassan General Manager Sam Ying Kok, 51; HBMS Pastry Chef Iskak Rahmat, 56; and HBMS Materials Manager Abdul Sani Abdul Mutalib, 56.
The allegations further stated that Sam conspired with Iskak and Abdul Sani to cheat HBMS into believing that the Dawn baking flours supplied and delivered by Perusahaan Ala Bolhassan between Feb 1, 2021 and March 1, 2022 were still valid, when in fact the product has expired and by such manner of deception, HBMS was dishonestly induced to order and subsequently made payment totalling to BND25,780.
No plea was recorded from the three defendants and Senior Magistrate Ervy Sufitriana Abdul Rahman adjourned the case to April 13.
The prosecution of the case is conducted by Deputy Public Prosecutor Dayangku Didi-Nuraza binti Pengiran Abdul Latiff and defence counsel Ang Swee Kiang of Messrs Yu and Chiew represented Sam Ying Kok and Iskak bin Rahmat, while Abdul Sani has not appointed a lawyer.
