KOTA KINABALU: Ten people, including two bank managers and a teacher, will go on trial starting May 13, 2025, for allegedly being members of an organised crime group linked to missing funds totalling RM24.2mil from several bank accounts.
This was after High Court Judge Zaleha Rose Pandin fixed May 13 to 15, Aug 18 to 29 and Sept 22 to Oct 3 as the trial dates.
The 10 are bank managers Irene Chin Nyuk Thien, 38 and Christina @ Caroline Pianus Etip, 53; contractor Josepin J. Langkan, 38; teacher Subramaniam Thangavelu, 56; pensioners Nasir Abdul Rasid, 60 and Leong Hin Ping, 62; self-employed Sugumaran K. Ponniah; 56, fisherman Hasran Magin, 46 and two unemployed Vireonis Jonok, 35 and Mazlani Jenuary, 53.
They were separately accused of being members of an organised crime group, believed to have been led by Josepin, that obtained material benefits through fraudulent means for the group.
They were accused of committing the crime between April 26 and July 10, 2024 at the MBSB bank branch here.
The charge under Section 130V(1) of the Penal Code carries a jail term of between five years and 20 years on conviction.
All the accused were earlier charged at the Sessions Court here on July 25. They claimed trial to their charges after the case was transferred to the High Court on Sept 13.
Deputy Public Prosecutors Datuk Nazran Mohd Sham, Shafiq Hasim and Yazid Mustaqim Roslan appeared for the prosecution.
The Court had earlier set Jan 14 for mention when the prosecution is expected to submit documents on serious organised crime offences.
The court also instructed Leong, who was unrepresented, to appoint a lawyer as it could not assign counsel as the case did not involve capital punishment.
The court allowed Irene and Vireonis to be released on bail but the others were further detained pending case disposal.
