Duo claim trial over RM4.6mil casino chip theft

BENTONG: Two men were charged in the Magistrate’s Court here with breaking into a casino room in Genting Highlands last month and stealing 1,160 casino chips worth RM4.6mil belonging to Genting Highlands Bhd.

Koay Boan Seng, 32, and Hoo Chee Chuan, 38, pleaded not guilty after the charge was read out before Magistrate Nadhratun Naiem Zainan here yesterday.

The suspects were charged with two others still at large with breaking into a storage room and stealing 1,160 casino chips worth RM4,607,800 from the Twilight 3 room at Sky Casino Genting Highlands at 7.12am on Oct 28.

They were charged under Section 457 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34 of the same Act, which provides for imprisonment of up to five years and a fine.

If the offence includes theft, the jail term could be extended to 14 years, with a repeat offence also carrying a fine or whipping.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Muhammad Zamharir Muhammad Zuhid prosecuted the case while lawyer Kenny Tan Cheng Yee represented both accused.

In asking for a low bail, Tan said Koay was a contract worker earning RM1,800 a month while Hoo earned RM2,000 a month as a farm worker.

The court allowed bail of RM8,000 in one surety for each accused and fixed Jan 10 next year for mention.

On Tuesday, Bernama reported that police were tracking down five local men including the mastermind in the casino chip heist, believed to be the largest chip theft in the highlands resort.

Pahang police chief Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman said that police had arrested 10 suspects, including a Chinese national, aged between 30 and 59 in raids in Genting Highlands, Raub, Kuala Lumpur, and Nilai, Negri Sembilan, between Oct 29 and Nov 1.