KOTA KINABALU: A local man was freed by the Magistrate’s Court here yesterday from four charges of cheating involving the sum of RM60,000.
Magistrate Cindy Mc Juce Balitus acquitted and discharged Johnny Jikut, 31, after ruling that the latter’s defence had cast a reasonable doubt against the prosecution’s case.
On the first and second counts, Johnny was alleged to have cheated Lee Puah Kiang @ Charlie by inducing the latter into believing that the accused had secured a three-year contract for projects each worth RM180,000 monthly to clean the transformer passages in Papar by surrendering a fake letter of offer.
This had allegedly induced Lee to hand over two cheques each worth RM10,000 to the accused at a bank in Jalan Bundusan Penampang on May 19 and 22, 2011 respectively about 2pm.
On the third and fourth counts, Johnny had allegedly induced Lee into believing that the accused had secured a three-year contract for projects each worth RM340,000 monthly to clean the transformer passages in Ranau by surrendering a fake letter of offer.
This had allegedly induced Lee to hand over two cheques each worth RM20,000 to the accused at a bank in Jalan Bundusan on June 4 and 7, 2011 at 11am and 10am respectively.
Each of the charges framed Section 420 of the Penal Code provides for a jail term of between one and 10 years and with whipping and is also liable to a fine, upon conviction.
The accused was ordered to enter his defence on August 29 after the court ruled that the prosecution had established a case against him. Counsel Rakhbir Singh represented the accused while chief inspector Lim Swee Beng prosecuted.