SANDAKAN: Eleven individuals, comprising four men and seven women, pleaded not guilty in the Sandakan Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday to charges connected to an alleged fake loan scheme.
The accused, aged between 19 and 33, faced charges in two separate cases involving online scams conducted at different locations in Sandakan.
In the first case, Syahrizal Mohd Zaini, a Malaysian, and two non-citizens, Suziyanti Siraju and Serli Marthen, were accused of committing the offence at a house in a residential area in Batu 8 on May 7 at about 1.45am.
In the second case, five Malaysians—Mohd Khairul Ismail, Mohammad Yasier Sumsu, Ahmad Nazmi Abdullah, Arminah Suaib, and Dayang Syahierah Datu Syarajul Maharan—along with three non-citizens, Nuraninatus Syahira Alpian, Amira Johari, and Nurul Adira Amir, were accused of committing the same offence at a condominium in Jalan Astana Height on May 6 at about 11pm.
Prosecuting officer Inspector Nooraznie Bolalan informed the court that the accused had allegedly conspired to offer non-existent loans, an offence punishable under Section 120B(1) of the Penal Code, read together with Section 420 of the same code. If convicted, they face a jail term of at least one year and up to 10 years, along with whipping and fines.
All 11 defendants were represented by lawyers from LCZ Law Firm Sandakan.
Magistrate Siti Aisyah Umar Baki set bail at RM2,500 each for the Malaysian defendants, with two sureties from different addresses, while denying bail for the foreign defendants.
The cases have been set for mention on June 16 and 19, 2025.
