BUTTERWORTH: A company owner was fined RM188,000 by the Sessions Court here on Monday after pleading guilty to deceiving five people in connection with the Social Security Organisation (Perkeso)'s permanent disability claims from 2017 to 2023.
Mohamad Afizal Mohd Akhirudin, 33, was fined after pleading guilty to the seven alternative charges read out before Judge Zulhazmi Abdullah.
Zulhazmi imposed a fine of RM39,000 in default 10 months’ jail for the first alternative charge; RM57,000 (12 months) for the second alternative charge; followed by RM30,000 (10 months); RM10,500 (four months); RM30,000 (10 months); RM2,500 (two months); and RM19,000 or six months' imprisonment.
According to charges one to seven, Mohamad Afizal was accused of dishonestly deceiving five applicants by convincing them into believing that he could manage high assessment permanent disability percentage claims by a panel of doctors in Perkeso under certain conditions set by him.
This resulted in the five, who were deceived, handing over a total of RM188,000, which was deposited into the Maybank account of Jentayu Tujuh Venture, owned by the accused.
Mohamad Afizal was charged with committing all the offences around Seberang Jaya here from 2017 to 2023 under Section 417 of the Penal Code for simple cheating, which provides for two years imprisonment, a fine, or both, upon conviction.
The main charges were framed under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.
Earlier, deputy public prosecutors Noor Azura Zulkiflee and Nurnajihatul Idayu Mohd Azuyar requested the court to impose a deterrent sentence as the offence involved a large sum of money, besides taking into account public interest and the impact on society to prevent a recurrence.
However, lawyer M Puvaneswaran, representing the defendant, pleaded for the lightest possible sentence or fine, saying his client is the eldest child who supports his parents, with his father suffering from heart disease while the defendant has high blood pressure.
"The defendant is still single and this is his first offence. He has repented and vows to never commit such an offence,” he said. - Bernama
