BALIK PULAU: Nine Chinese nationals pleaded not guilty in the Magistrate’s Court to a charge of conspiring to deceive victims in a love scam.
They instead claimed they had entered the country as tourists.
The accused – Ye Binyu, 32; Yang Jie, 34; Xiang Hanghang, 33; Lin Zhixu, 30; Zhang Peng, 30; Huang Shihong, 31; Tan Qiao, 22; Tan Bo, 26; and Li Mingrui, 27 – claimed trial after the charge was read to them in Mandarin before magistrate Chia Huey Ting.
They were jointly charged with acting with a common intention to participate in a criminal conspiracy to unlawfully deceive victims in a love scam at about 6.10pm at a condominium in Persiaran Mahsuri, Sungai Nibong Kecil, Bayan Lepas, on July 1.
They were charged under Section 120B(1) of the Penal Code, which carries a jail term of not less than one year and not more than 10 years, whipping and a fine, upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Ikmal Affendi Zulkifly urged the court to set bail at RM10,000 for each accused in two sureties, and requested that they surrender their passports and report to the nearest police station once a month.
Lawyer Ahmad Luthfillah Hadi Ahmad requested a lower bail, saying that his nine clients had jobs in China but earned only RM1,800 to RM3,000 a month.
He added that his clients did not have family members in Malaysia who could post bail for them.
“We are prepared to provide two Malaysian sureties, and all of them are willing to surrender their passports.
“Bail should not be punitive but should only be sufficient to ensure their attendance in court throughout the proceedings,” he said.
Chia set bail at RM8,000 in two sureties for each accused.
She also ordered the accused to surrender their passports to the court and report to the Sungai Nibong police station every Thursday until the case is disposed of.
She also fixed Aug 27 for submission of documents.
All nine accused posted bail.
