KOTA KINABALU: A local man appeared before the Magistrate’s Court here yesterday to face two charges of cheating involving the amount of RM14,594.97.
On the first charge, Padrick Braganza, 25, pleaded not guilty before magistrate Zaiton Anuar, who set June 17–18, this year for his trial.
Padrick denied having induced Mohd Rezali Mohd Talib, 34, into handing him RM13,914.97 on the pretext of buying air tickets from Kota Kinabalu to Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi, and Kuala Lumpur to Hong Kong.
The offence was allegedly committed at the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs office here on April 18, 2011, at about 8pm.
Padrick was charged under Section 420 of the Penal Code which carries up to ten years’ jail, with whipping, and also liable to a fine upon conviction.
Prosecuting officer Inspector Lim Swee Beng objected to granting bail for the accused, on account of his discharge not amounting to an acquittal previously for this case, due to his absence from court hearings.
For the next charge, Padrick again pleaded not guilty before magistrate Ryan Sagirann Rayner Jr who fixed April 23 for re-mention of the case.
Padrick was alleged to have conned John Lucas of RM680 by claiming to sell five bottles of Liqui Moly motor oil and another five bottles of Mitsubishi motor oil, cheaply.
The transaction was alleged to have taken place at CIMB Bank, Jalan Bundusan on March 17, 2013, where the victim had banked in the cash into the accused’s personal account.
Inspector Syahrin Ali prosecuted the second case.
The court denied bail for the accused on both counts, and he was remanded under Section 259 of the Criminal Procedure Code, pending disposal of his case.