KOTA KINABALU: Two women allegedly linked to a "shaman" syndicate offering fortune telling and bad luck cleansing services have been charged in the Sessions Court here Friday (Aug 14) for cheating three victims.
Local woman Hee Nyin Fung, 48, and Chinese national Li Li, 38, pleaded not guilty to two charges read before Sessions Court Judge Zaini Fishir Fisal and another charge before Session Court Judge Monica Linsua.
They were charged under Section 420 of the Penal Code for conspiring to cheat three local women in separate incidents in Kota Kinabalu.
They also were charged under Section 120B(1) of the Penal Code for being part of a criminal conspiracy to commit a serious offence, which provides for a jail term of up to 10 years and caning as well as a possible fine upon conviction.
In first case before Judge Linsua, the duo were charged for conspiring to cheat a 51-year-old woman while in the case before Judge Zaini, they were accused of committing a similar offence on two other victims - aged 45 and 69.
The alleged offences were committed at the Kota Kinabalu City Central Market at 7.30am on Feb 4, Menggatal Central Market here at 8am on Feb 3, and Gaya Street Weekly Market here at 11.30am on July 19.
The two judges set Oct 1 for pre-trial case management and the two women were released on RM5,000 bail with RM2,000 deposited and two local sureties for each accused.
The two accused were also ordered to surrender their passports to the court and report to the police station once a month.
Deputy public prosecutors Mohd Fadzri Azham Zainudin and Nurul Shaferrah Mad Iskim prosecuted while Hee was represented by Batholomew Jingulam and Li by Muhamad Amirul Amin.
On Thursday, Deputy Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Mohd Azhar Hamin said that police had busted a “shaman” syndicate with the arrest of 12 people including China nationals, who allegedly cheated people of about RM600,000 offering services ranging from telling fortunes and removing bad luck, among others.
The suspects were arrested in Kota Kinabalu, Penampang, Keningau and Kota Belud over the weekend (Aug 8-9).
He said the suspects will charged in Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan.
