KOTA KINABALU: A company director was charged in the Sessions Court here on Tuesday (March 10) with four counts of cheating a man of RM12mil in connection with the purchase of shares in a real estate company.
Datuk Chee Chi Nyen, 47, pleaded not guilty before Judge Amir Shah Amir Hassan after the charges, framed under Section 420 of the Penal Code and read together with Section 34 of the same code, were read to him. The section provides for imprisonment of between one and ten years, whipping and a fine, upon conviction.
According to the charge sheet, the accused, together with Datuk Chee Chi Vun, 52, allegedly conspired to cheat 76‑year‑old businessman See Hong Cheen by deceiving him into believing that he would be given a 45% shareholding in real estate company Deevin Development Sdn Bhd.
Chi Nyen allegedly induced See to hand over RM9mil via a cheque on Aug 30, 2022, and another RM3mil through three separate cheques in April 2022 for the shares in the company. The offences were allegedly committed with a co‑accused, Chi Vun, who was charged on Feb 16.
Chi Nyen was granted bail of RM1mil, with RM500,000 to be deposited and two local sureties, by the Sessions Court judge, who fixed case management for April 6.
Chi Nyen was represented by counsel Zahir Shah, while the prosecution was led by Deputy Public Prosecutor Faizah Mohd Salleh.
On Feb 16, Chi Vun also claimed trial to seven counts of cheating the 75‑year‑old man of about RM20mil over shares in the same real estate company.
He was accused of deceiving the alleged victim into issuing multiple cheques at different times to obtain a 45% stake in the company. The offences were allegedly committed in Kota Kinabalu and Penampang between April 25 and Aug 30, 2022.
Sessions Court judge Zaini Fishir @ Faisal granted Chi Vun bail of RM3mil, with RM1.5mil to be deposited under two local sureties.
Chi Vun and Chi Nyen are brothers.
