Company director loses RM1mil in fake plantation tender in Ipoh, lorry driver arrested

MELAKA: A 68-year-old director of a company was fleeced by a lorry driver of RM1mil after he was convinced to bid in a tender for two non-existent oil palm plantations.

Melaka police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Zainol Samah said the victim had first received a call from the 39-year-old lorry driver who identified himself as "Neliar" in June last year, where the latter offered to assist in the tender processes of procuring the plantations.

He said the victim was told the tenders of a 607ha plantation in Ipoh, Perak, and a 485.6ha plantation here would be opened for biddings on July 17, last year, and the result on the new owner of the estates would be announced in three months.

"After being convinced, the victim decided to deposit an initial sum of RM15,000 as the documentation process to bid for the tender.

"The victim continued to deposit more money into six different bank accounts by carrying out 45 transactions between July 17 and Jan 2 of this year until the total amount reached RM1mil," he said on Thursday (Feb 15).

DCP Zainol said the victim was promised by the lorry driver that he would receive all documents pertaining to the purchase of the plantations once he had made the final payment.

"However, the victim who manages a company dealing in palm oil by-products realised he had been had after he discovered the two plantations did not exist," he said.

DCP Zainol said the victim from Masjid Tanah here decided to lodge a report at Alor Gajah police headquarters on Jan 19, and police managed to detain the lorry driver at Kapar, Selangor, on Feb 9.

He added the lorry driver would be charged for cheating at the Alor Gajah Magistrate Court on Friday (Feb 16).