SEREMBAN: A 27-year-old unemployed man pleaded not guilty at the Magistrate's Court here to a charge of cheating his alleged victim of RM64,500 in return for a Datukship.
Tengku Ahmad Ariff Mulia Tengku Daeng Bahaismail pleaded not guilty after the charge was read to him before Magistrate Nurul Saqinah Rosli.
He was charged with deceiving the victim into believing he could secure the Darjah Setia Bakti Negeri Sembilan title, which comes with a Datukship from the state government.
The title was to be bestowed on the 78th birthday of the Yang di-Pertuan Besar Negri Sembilan.
Tengku Ahmad Ariff was charged with committing the offence at Taman Nuri Indah between March 30 and Dec 6 last year.
He was charged under Section 420 of the Penal Code, which carries a jail term of between one and 10 years, a fine and whipping.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Hanis Anisha Jamilludin then offered the accused bail of RM15,000 with one surety, pending next mention.
However, counsel for the accused, Chrysandy Lai, pleaded for a lower amount, as the accused was unemployed and had to provide for his widowed mother.
The court then set bail at RM5,000 and fixed June 3 for next mention.
